Sylva's Food....

[SylvasMum2020]

Hi,

After adopting our dog Sylva back in May of this year, we've had quite a few digestive problems since we changed her food a couple of months after having her.

We started off feeding her Forthglade, but she didn't really like that and we really wanted to give her a wider variety of protein and offal, but without all the hassle, expense and work of a raw diet.

So, I found a really good wet food made by a German company called Rocco and it is a really good mix of different protein (Not all chicken!) and plenty of offal! So we switched her over (gradually) to that and she seemed to be doing really well on it, with a shiny coat and lots of energy...But, after a few weeks, she started, having quite runny poos and every few mornings, she would wake us up whining and pacing and be desperate to go out and then eat grass frantically for ages! It's usually every few days that she do this and she will usually eat grass until she is sick!

We had a thought that maybe this food that is rich in offal, may be too rich for her stomach, especially as she was in the shelter for around 4-5 years and was mainly fed kibble.

So, we have decided to start cutting down on the Rocco and getting some different food, probably Forthglade again and then just mixing some of the Rocco into it on a daily basis, so she's still getting the variety and some offal, but not entirely that. We have been doing this since the weekend and fingers crossed, she hasn't woken us up to go out and frantically eat grass, yet!!

What do you think??

She also gets a little kefir for good gut bacteria and garlic added to her food daily and she has raw bones a couple of times a week.

 

[JoanneF]

I would guess that you are right and the Rocco has been a bit rich.

As great as any food is, the ultimate test is how your dog does on it.

But if she isn't keen on the Forthglade, there are other options. Have a look at www.allaboutdogfood.co.uk

It is an independent dog food comparison website which scores all types of foods (dry, raw, wet) out of 100. You can set filters for your dog's breed, weight, age etc. and for your daily budget; then you can add in any specific needs you have such as aiming for weight loss or avoiding specific ingredients. The website will automatically show the foods listed in order of what the assessors believe is best quality, and it also will show daily feeding cost (calculated from your dog's age and weight) so you can see what gives you best value for money. It has its limitations but it's a decent place to start.

 

[Hemlock]

Some green vegetables might also make a difference. Raw if possible, but lightly cooked will still be helpful.

Also a little something to eat just before bed might help - it could just be over-active gastric juices due to hunger. A plain dog biscuit would do. Worth a try (not raw of course, but I follow a 90% regime - we have to feed the dog in front of us).

 

[JudyN]

If Forthglade is a complete food, then even if it doesn't contain offal it should be balanced. So adding more protein and offal in any form could unbalance it.

A raw diet doesn't have to be expensive - it may work out cheaper than Forthglade - and is surprisingly little effort. I just whip a chicken carcase and a pack of mince (assorted blends) out of the freezer each morning, and feed that, plus the occasional extras. So if you like the idea of raw, do ask and we can give you more advice.

 

[RGC]

Our whippet’s been on Forthglade since we adopted her (28th October last year - tempus fugit!) but we’re switching to a raw diet shortly. I’ve been quite surprised at the amount of fat in Forthglade which I’ve kept in the fridge. We’re going to use Bella & Duke as recommended by a neighbour who also owns a whippet. B &D aren’t cheap so I’d be interested in exploring similar suppliers. Fair dues to Forthglade I’m fairly sure that any gippy tummies weren’t caused by their food. We’re trying a raw regime to see whether that’ll put paid to Mabel’s itchiness.