Bichon Not Doing Well with a New Food

[Claudettebillie]

I'm the owner of the Bichon on this link:
http://thepetfoodlist.com/forums/index.php?topic=1052.0

She is a 7 year old female bichon frise named Claudette. She is larger than your average bichon (20-25lb, taller and longer) if you're wondering why her portions are a little large.

Well, I decided to feed her Wellness CORE original formula (3/4 of a cup two times a day) along with Methigel 2x a day, giving her a few tablespoons of canned food to go with the methigel so that she wouldn't take it with an empty stomach.

It was going great- she LOVES the food! Just in heaven. Today is the second day she's been on it and she's turning down human food (she never turns down human food) and started getting runny poop. We left for two hours (she's usually left for like 6 hours for work so 2 is nothing) and when we came back there was poop all over the mud room floor which she NEVER does.

She was previously on Hill's Science Diet C/D and it seems like she's having an allergy- her skin it kind of peeling although it was diagnosed as dermatitis.

I'm at a loss and not quite sure what to do- if I should get another food brand, put her back on the Hills.... please help!

[Bonkers]

 Hello Claudettebillie and welcome to the forums!

 I am so sorry that Claudette has been having some urinary issues and I know how confusing all the info that was supplied can be.

I would venture to say that it may be that the switch from the Science Diet to the Core may have been done too quickly. Whenever switching foods it is recommended to do it gradually by mixing the new food in with the old. You do this by increasing the new as you decrease the amount of the old food over a period of a week or so. It is also possible that the Methigel may be contributing to the diarrhea as one of the side effects of methigel is gastro intestinal upset.

Keep in mind that I am not a vet or a pet nutritionist, but I would like to suggest that you put her back on the Hills for a few days or untill her poos are back to normal and then do the gradual transition to the Core. If she still experiences the severe diarrhea during this time then I would look for another high quality grain free food to try. I would also consult with your vet concerning the possibility of the methigel causing the runny poos.

It is very important that you do not give her the Methigel while she is on the Hills C/D. 

I know from dealing with pets who have had health issues that it can be very confusing and also frustrating when trying to find what works best for them. Many times what works best for the animal is found thru trial and error.

I hope this helps and I hope others will post their thoughts and suggestions concerning your situation.

[GreyGhost]

I would also suggest that maybe the runny stools has to do with the switch. Going from a food like hills to core can cause havoc on the intestinal system. I would go 3/4 hills and 14 core for a 3 to 5  days and then 1/2 and 1/2 for a 3 to 5 more days then 3/4 core and 1/4 hills for a 3-5 more days and then 100% core. While you are doing this the minute you see runny stools go back to what you had been on for a few more days.


Having said that. I prefer raw food diet for any animal with urinary issues. You are on the right track with grain free.

I'm not an expert with a degree and all but I am a vet tech and I have read many books on diet and have taken classes on animal nutrition. I have also seen excellent results with better nutrition and especially the raw diet.

I hope this info helps. keep us posted.

[Claudettebillie]

I think that's what we'll try. I'll start giving her the Methigel again once she's on 100% CORE.

She was switched pretty quickly because she's always been switched on foods quick ( I was 7 when I got her so I did give her different foods often) and never had a problem.

She's back on Hills right now and is acting like herself again. Thursday I'll start putting in some CORE to the Hills.

I'm so excited to get her on a better food! Mom and dad don't want her on raw or else I would feed her that. But at least with this food she'll be better. Ever since she was put on the Hills she seems to lick her paws quite a bit. Do you think this food would help her skin issues, too? Hot spots were suggested but it's only down her back- none on her belly or anything. It stays close to her spine. I was thinking allergies?

[Bonkers]

 It will be interesting to see if her skin issues improve once she has been off of the Hills.

 If the skin issues continue, I would guess that she has some food sensitivities and/or allergies going on. But give it some time and see if she shows any improvement after being on the Core for awhile.

[sylvia]

Hi,
Sorry I have not been on for a while.  I have been owned by Bichon Frise for over thirty years. Food could be a problem here such as switching too fast but there are other things to consider as well.
First food: There are some Bichon people who think Wellness is not a good choice for Bichons. I have never used it. There are other quality foods such as Pinnacle, Evo, some of the Breeders Choice Varieties, Merricks and Wysong products that I used for many years. Too many scary things happening with even some of the high quality kibbles so now I use Honest Kitchen and add meat, an egg, yams, a little yogurt too it. The meat I use is raw  but you can use cooked and I get Oma's for convenience. Dogs love it. Canned pumpkin, not pie mix, works great for digestion. Not a lot needed.
Second Vaccinations: cause many problems in Bichons and most show breeders follow Dr Jean Dodds protocol. Very few puppy shots and no yearlies. Rabies as the law requires. This is true for all breeds.
Third Skin problems: usually are associated with allergies or those flea and tick products, both over the counter and prescription as well. They are essentially all poisons.
Here is where you want to go to learn everything about Bichon health.
http://www.bichonhealth.org
This is the health site of the Bichon Frise Club of America.
Good luck, Sylvia

[Claudettebillie]

Thanks guys!!

It's a little better now that she's on 100% CORE and methigel, but she STILL has it. I've come to a conclusion that it might be Flea Allergy Dermatitis? So I think we might treat her for fleas. (Revolution from the vet's) to see what happens. If her back gets better, then darn it we have to treat the other three, if it doesn't change a thing, then we have a flea-less dog.

[sylvia]

Those products like Revolution cause major skin allergy problems on Bichons (and worse) ! Go to the Bichon health site and read about them. Why ignore all the decades of information the Bichon people have to offer?
Sylvia

[Bonkers]

Thanks guys!!

It's a little better now that she's on 100% CORE and methigel, but she STILL has it. I've come to a conclusion that it might be Flea Allergy Dermatitis? So I think we might treat her for fleas. (Revolution from the vet's) to see what happens. If her back gets better, then darn it we have to treat the other three, if it doesn't change a thing, then we have a flea-less dog.

If this should turn out NOT to be flea allergy dermatitis, then again I would suspect a food allergy/sensitivity.

Supplementing her diet with some type of essential fatty acid can be very helpful as it also acts as an anti-inflammatory agent.

[Claudettebillie]

Okay. Mom said that Claudette's been asking to go outside to pee 1-2 times a night, now. Don't know what to do. She's not eating much of the Wellness CORE for some reason although we've been giving her Methigel (with a tiny bit of wet food) religiously.   Maybe we'll try Evo Red meat small bites- it's available at her groomer's so it's a little more convenient. If that's a no go then they also have Before Grain in about 3 flavors and I think Eagle Pack.

[Bonkers]

 Sorry to hear that Claudette is still having some urinary issues.

  Here is what I am going to suggest you try. The Before Grain comes in a buffalo based dry food. Try that and also use the buffalo Before Grain canned food. This may also help if she is also dealing with any type of food sensitivity or allergy. Once again, transition slowly UNLESS she will no longer eat the Core.

  Also, the more wet food you can feed her the better. Hydration is key when dealing with issues concerning the urinary tract.

  Let us know how she is doing.

[GreyGhost]

If I remember correctly none of the Before Grain foods have a single protein. They all have chicken and turkey. That is the only reason I don't like their formulas. I think for allergy issues there needs to be only one protein source.


Ingredients: Buffalo Deboned, Chicken Meal, Potato Dehydrated, Turkey Meal, Canola Oil, Sweet Potato Dehydrated, (preserved with mixed tocopherols - a source of Natural Vitamin E and Ascorbic Acid, a source of Vitamin C), Yeast Culture, Natural Dried Chicken Liver, Dicalcium Phosphate, Lysine, Guar Gum, Sea Salt, Alfalfa, Salmon Oil, Choline Chloride, Acai Berry Dried, Blueberry Dried, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Dried Venison Broth, Zinc Amino Acid Complex,Chondroitin Sulfate, Glucosamine Hydrochloride, Natural Venison Flavor, Chicory Root, Marigold Extract, Rosemary Extract, Lactobacillus Plantarum, Enterococcus Faecium, Lactobacillus Casei, Lactobacillus Acidophilus, Natural Celery Flavor, Iron Amino Acid Complex, Vitamin E Supplement, Manganese Amino Acid Complex, Natural Color (tumeric), Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Copper Amino Acid Complex, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin D3, Niacin, Lecithin, Riboflavin Supplement, Biotin, Ethylenediamine Dihydriodide, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Cobalt Amino Acid Complex, Folic Acid, Thiamine Mononitrate, Sodium Selenite.

[Bonkers]

 You are correct GG about the Before Grain kibble. I should of looked at the ingredient panel more closely.

 Although the canned formula consists of Buffalo meat only.

 Claudette, which formula of Core are you using as they also make a Core Ocean Formula that contains only fish products.

 Wellness also makes a line of dog foods called Simple Food Solutions for those that have food sensitivies or allergies.

[sylvia]

You need to take that Bichon to a vet. They are prone to both bladder and kidney stones as well as other urinary problems. If she gets a clean bill of health go to the http://www.bichonhealth.org. If she is found to have a problem go to http://www.bichonhealth.org. There is a site with knowlegeable and important information on YOUR BREED. The people who run it have been in the breed for decades and the information has been gathered over decades.OR
you can keep on changing foods and ignoring a possibly serious problem.
YIKES!!!

[sherrylynne]

Actually, she has been to the vet for the urinary problems already, which is why I referred her here. Part of the trouble is since she's only 14, she has to convince her parents every time they do any sort of change. It took a fair bit to get them to agree to get her off the Hill's.