# Colitis - food recommendations please!



## Lilylass (Sep 13, 2012)

Hi all, was referred here from another forum for more info so hoping you can help!

I have recently rehomed an adult Lab - she has had pups (before I had her) and has now been spayed. 

Her stools have never (since I got her) been hard but she does go through periods when they're OK - since adding bran to her diet (vet's advice).

She does have problems with her anal glands which could be due to the soft stools.

However, she also has episodes of what can only be described as explosive cow pats

She may well be stressed at times which could be the cause (very different environment from where she came from) and it's really still early days.

It does settle with a few days of Chicken & Rice (and egg is fine too) but I have found that beef mince etc does upset her tum.

She is fed on Skinners Duck & Rice (my old lab was fed this as he was wheat intolerant) and am wondering if it's worth trying a Fish / Potato based kibble.

Previous dog was on Wainwrights - until I discovered that the ingredient list is almost identical to Skinners (which is a lot cheaper).

Unfortunately Skinners don't do a Fish / Potato kibble or I'd certainly try that.

She is under vet supervision & not after vet advice - really just any recommendations for a kibble that you may have used for a dog with a sensitive tum!

Any suggestions of foods welcomed. TIA


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## suewhite (Oct 31, 2009)

You could be talking about my Border Collie I put him on Wafcol Salmon and Potato also gave him Dorwests tree bark powder and seemed to work a treat:thumbsup:


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## Lilylass (Sep 13, 2012)

Ahhhh thanks  it does make you feel a bit better to know that you're not the only one having problems!

Will have a look at the Wafcol (it's not a brand I'm familiar with) too!


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## Twiggy (Jun 24, 2010)

Arden Grange Ocean White Fish and Potato Sensitive is a good one although about £41.00 per 15 kg bag.

My bitch with a food intolerance/allergy is now on The Natural Dog Food Company Salmon and Brown Rice Sensitive, which is about the same price as AG.


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## Netpon (Feb 21, 2012)

Try some Pro Kolin, its a probiotic, this might help to settle things down . I rescued a rott who had been through a traumatic time and had loose bowels for weeks, I gave him this for a few days and he's been fine since


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

Natural dog food company ranges have helped a lot of dogs with iffy tums

The Natural Dog Food Company  where good health comes naturally

James wellbeloved do a range with no cereals at all just meat and vegetables
Turkey & Vegetable Adult - James WellBeloved

Lamb & Vegetable Adult - James WellBeloved

Fish & Vegetable Adult - James WellBeloved

Bionic Biotic supplement has had good results too, Ive been using it for one of mine that has an iffy tum when the weather gets hot, and its really helped
Probiotic for Dogs | Dog digestion / skin + coat supplement | Pooch and Mutt


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## PIGDOG (Sep 15, 2011)

Vitalin Senior / light is salmon and potato and cheap and excellent quality.

Their adult food is grain free too.

Then there is the good old fish 4 dogs brand


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## Freddie and frank (Mar 26, 2012)

hi, my younger one has a sensitive tummy, since birth.

he was back and forth to vets trying different medication etc.

we tried lots of different kibble....royal canin sensitive or sensible?,arden grange, james wellbeloved, wafcol,royal canin german shepherd, the list went on.

in the end a vet suggested plain old chappie.£15.00 a bag.
it was the only thing that didn't make him loose and smelly.
however his poos were huge so i decided to put him on a raw diet.

fingers crossed, he's been fine ever since.

i thought it was un heard of, a lab with a dodgy tummy so you're not on your own.

hope this helps.:thumbsup:


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## Izzysmummy (Oct 12, 2011)

Izzy has always had a sensitive tummy, we'd have a few weeks of normal poops then would have the runs for a couple of days with loose poops for a week or so after. We now feed her wainwrights wet trays with skinners duck and rice kibble but have found adding this http://www.petforums.co.uk/dog-health-nutrition/260148-protexin-bio-premium-recommendation.html in really seems to be helping!


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## Lilylass (Sep 13, 2012)

I've never been a fan of *JWB *(always thought it was over priced for what it is) but worth a look - and I've not looked into cereal free range.

*AG *experience is limited too so another to look into.

*Vitalin* - funnily enough, I tried her on this when I first got her - she loved, it but it did upset her tum. It was just one of the normal ranges tho' so another to have a look into 



Freddie and frank said:


> i thought it was un heard of, a lab with a dodgy tummy so you're not on your own.


So did I - I seem to pick them! Took me a while to figure Ben out IYKWIM but in the end, it was a straightforward wheat intolerance & fairly easily sorted (certainly much more so than with the Colitis which can have so many different triggers).

Will also be looking into the supplements & pro-biotics - the vet has given me some to sprinkle on her food (and did for Ben too) when it's upset, but I didn't realise you could give these all the time!:thumbsup:

Great to know that there is a chance things will settle down! She has been through a HUGE change so .... fingers crossed!

Thanks to all - lots of investigating to do over the weekend!


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## Mum2Heidi (Feb 17, 2010)

When Heidi was a pup she had bouts of colitis which I put down to dry food being harder to digest. On wet, she is so much better.

Try soaking the Skinners in warm water and let it fluff up before you feed it. That normally happens in their tum and by soaking it, you take away that process giving the tum less to do.

A dogs natural diet is mostly water and kibble is far from it! We ended up on wet food. Got to the point where even soaked kibble, or a mix of wet/kibble would cause upset after a while.

May not be the case for your little one but I thought it worth a mention. Too many food changes arent going to help so perhaps soaking the kibble you have would be a good first option

Hope she's much better soon.

(Heidi also had Bionic Biotics - excellent stuff, prior to that we were continuall y at the vets for repeat meds)


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## GoldenShadow (Jun 15, 2009)

My golden struggles and my vets got us some Pro Texin Pro Fibre pellets. They go in food every day and worked wonders for him, ordinary bran did nothing


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## Lilylass (Sep 13, 2012)

Mum2Heidi said:


> Try soaking the Skinners in warm water and let it fluff up before you feed it. That normally happens in their tum and by soaking it, you take away that process giving the tum less to do.


Now .... that's interesting as she used to get her kibble soaked (previous owner) - I wasn't told she had any digestive issues but maybe that was why she did it. Will start doing that again (when she's back on her kibble!).

She does also literally inhale her food so going to get one of the anti-gulp bowls (tried at PAH last week but they didn't have them in stock).


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## Lilylass (Sep 13, 2012)

GoldenShadow said:


> My golden struggles and my vets got us some Pro Texin Pro Fibre pellets. They go in food every day and worked wonders for him, ordinary bran did nothing


Going to investigate probiotics / supplements in depth this weekend and will def be getting some!


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## Lilylass (Sep 13, 2012)

Been looking at foods (again!) this morning (honestly, I spend way more time looking for dog / cat food that I do my own:laugh and thinking I might give Wainwrights a go (have previous experience of it). 

The JWB sensitive had tomato pomace in and AG has maize in, both of which I'd rather avoid if I can.

Also, Wainwrights do a Light version of the Salmon & Potato - she was spayed a couple of months ago and conscious that she's put on a couple lbs (she had weight to lose as had pups prior to me getting her) so could do with losing 2 - 3 kg as well.

Now wondering if the WW Turkey & Rice (also comes in low fat) would be OK - she seems fine with chicken & has rice everyday (and the tummy settles on a diet of this)..... why is dog food an absolute minefield!


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## Lilylass (Sep 13, 2012)

Have booked a dog nutrition check @ PAH on Sunday - it's free and you get 25% off selected products (incl WW)

Will see what's suggested and will prob end up with WW - just what flavour is the big question!

Have ordered some of the Protexin pro-biotics to try as well so hopefully they'll arrive in a few days.

A big thanks for all the links / suggestions everyone :thumbsup:


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## PIGDOG (Sep 15, 2011)

Avoid the normal Vitalin foods like you said; the Salmon and Potato and Adult Sensitive and Maintenance are great premium foods


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## mollymo (Oct 31, 2009)

Lilylass said:


> Been looking at foods (again!) this morning (honestly, I spend way more time looking for dog / cat food that I do my own:laugh and thinking I might give Wainwrights a go (have previous experience of it).
> 
> The JWB sensitive had tomato pomace in and AG has maize in, both of which I'd rather avoid if I can.
> 
> ...


Ive fed WW salmon and potato to mine for quite a few years now with excellent results...no upset tums
I also feed Vitalin cereal free chicken and veg when on offer and thats also an excellent food that suits ours.


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## Mum2Heidi (Feb 17, 2010)

Lilylass said:


> Have booked a dog nutrition check @ PAH on Sunday - it's free and you get 25% off selected products (incl WW)
> 
> Will see what's suggested and will prob end up with WW - just what flavour is the big question!
> 
> ...


Not sure what your branch will be like but the couple I've been to and had nutrition consultations dont know a lot. With that in mind and what you already know, stick your guns and direct them towards what you want rather than vice versa (NB, their Advance range aint good apart from the Sensitive)


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## Lilylass (Sep 13, 2012)

It turned out you had to take the dog to the check, which I couldn't do as Maisie would literally freak at that many dogs, people and being in such a busy place (only had her 3 months & she came from the wilds of Scotland where there was, believe me, nothing for miles around). 

Was told to pop in & speak to someone, who ended up going through the check (as I knew her weight etc) properly and, rather unexpectedly, I've ended up going with JWB Fish & Rice. 

Poor DM was just about pulling her hair out at an hour spent in PAH looking at dog food:bored:

I did look at AG, but as I thought, it has maize in it. After looking at every "better quality" food, I was so disappointed to find maize in the pricier end products to eg Eukanuba, Natures Best, ProPlan etc.

WW was a really close 2nd (and had trouble deciding) but decided that we'd go for a fish & rice rather than potato (still have trouble getting my head around feeding the dog potato as I've always been told it's too starchy for them!).

I have opened the bag and she seems to like the kibble (understatement as she nearly took my fingers off!) - but I can't say I'm that keen on the smell! Hope I get used to it! 

Really hoping it settles her tum - she's going to have a bit of an odd diet during the swap over tho'.... Duck & Rice and Fish & Rice:rolleyes5:

Hopefully the probiotics will arrive next week and I've also managed to find an anti-gulp bowl so that's on it's way too!


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## Lilylass (Sep 13, 2012)

Next question

After more thought, I think I'd like to get more meat into her diet and less kibble and maybe get it to a 50/50 ratio.

I'd forgotten how much the kibble swelled and think that much food in her tum at once can't be good (and she's only on 1/2 rations atm too)

I've been looking at the Natures Diet & WW trays.

Do you think I should keep with what I'm doing just now (changing her dry to the fish & rice) and see if things settle before introducing more meat - or try to start adding a bit more meat now (gradually).


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## GoldenShadow (Jun 15, 2009)

Lilylass said:


> Next question
> 
> After more thought, I think I'd like to get more meat into her diet and less kibble and maybe get it to a 50/50 ratio.
> 
> ...


Personally I would add more meat later and work on getting her belly sound now. It would be nice for her to have more meat but it wont necessarily make her belly any better. Nor should it upset her when she is sound either, so I would leave it til then


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## Lilylass (Sep 13, 2012)

Thanks .... yup, getting her tum sorted is the No 1 priority!

She does get chicken mixed in currently so is getting some real meat.


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