# Suggestion for dog food for IBS problems



## KatieD (Aug 4, 2011)

My 8 year old lab has developed IBS. Previously she had been on a grain free food (Taste of the Wild,Wetlands) for the last 2 years without any problems. My vet has done all testing to rule everything else out. With a diet of hamburger and rice she is fine. I am ready to take her off of hamburge & rice again and I need to slowly introduce and try a new food. I like the idea of grain free but maybe she needs more fiber. Oh yeah, she has also always been free fed. Her weight (before the IBS problem) was 80lbs and she has no other health problems.
My question is - what brand of dry food should I now try first? I would appreciate any suggestions. Someone else suggested staying with Taste of the Wild and just changing the protein from Wetlands (duck) to Salmon or Bison. Any thoughts on that.


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## HerdersForMe (Jul 26, 2011)

I don't think the food is the culprit. If she has been on it for 2 years and doing fine it seems strange that it would suddenly start causing problems. Perhaps she ate something that you didn't know about?


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## KatieD (Aug 4, 2011)

No, this started around June 14th (almost 7 weeks ago) and my vet has been monitering it since then. She has been on and off the hamburger/rice diet so many times since then. She also has had blood tests, stool tests, xrays (for blockage) and my vet feels it is a developed case of IBS. Nothing else has changed in her enviroment. She is now doing good _AGAIN_ on hamburger/rice so I need to try a new food again within the next couple of days. If you have any other ideas I would certainly be open to hearing about it.


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## winniec777 (Apr 20, 2008)

Sounds like your vet is on the right path, at least based on our experience. We went through a lot of food trials until we landed on a prescription food (z/d) that hydrolyzes the protein so that it's no longer an irritant (all the foods we tried always caused the same symptoms within 4-8 weeks). She's also on Tylan 2x a day - antibiotic. When she gets real sick, she's on metronidazole and 2-3 other drugs. If her condition escalates, she'll probably be on steroids. Hoping to avoid that.

My advice would be to go on the z/d (or another prescription food that does not irritate or just stay on the burger/rice) for now until you can do more research on categories of food (grain free, limited ingredient, raw, low protein, single source protein, etc.) and figure out a plan - pick the best food from each category and try it. You've tried grain free - scratch that off the list. My next try would be a single source/unique protein (most foods are multi-protein) - a protein your dog has not had before. Wellness Simple Solutions Duck & Rice maybe. (I would not go with a different food from the same brand since they tend to use the same base of ingredients - without know what's causing the irritation, you could be back in the same boat in short order.)

It takes patience to go through the numerous trials and possibly months to find the right food. You have to be 100% strict about the food, too - nothing is allowed but the food you're trying. You can sometimes find treats made by the same manufacturer with the same ingredients as the food. But that's it. No other treats or food are allowed.

And ask your doctor about the Tylan. I think that's the main reason my dog is not having more frequent episodes (knock on wood).

Sorry you're having this trouble. If you're like us, you'll probably make yourself crazy trying to figure it all out. I wish I could recommend a miracle food that worked for all dogs, but none exists. Good luck and let us know how it goes.


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## KatieD (Aug 4, 2011)

Thanks winniec for the reply. My vet did say that he has prescription food to try but he actually suggested trial and error of other foods first. The treat part will be hard because my husband gives her treats all the time. I am going to make some rice balls for him to give her. She never did get any people food so that is not a problem. I am going to take your advice and keep her on the hamburger/rice until I can research foods some more.


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## Tacos_Mommy (Aug 9, 2011)

hi katie,
i'm sorry about your lil' girl :/ I'm not sure if this is something you'd be interested in but i recently signed up for a free newsletter from this lady who practices holistic pet care. Her website is www.askariel.com but she believes in making the animal better from the inside out and i know she set up and creates specialized diets for you specific pet and it's illness. Here is a link to her stuff on IBD.. http://askariel.com/pages.asp?pid=ibd_in_dogs_and_cats hope that helps! and hope she gets better soon!
sheena


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## tunie (Nov 18, 2012)

KatieD said:


> No, this started around June 14th (almost 7 weeks ago) and my vet has been monitering it since then. She has been on and off the hamburger/rice diet so many times since then. She also has had blood tests, stool tests, xrays (for blockage) and my vet feels it is a developed case of IBS. Nothing else has changed in her enviroment. She is now doing good _AGAIN_ on hamburger/rice so I need to try a new food again within the next couple of days. If you have any other ideas I would certainly be open to hearing about it.



I'm so sorry I didn't find this forum sooner. The #1 cause of irritating IBS is red meat. Feeding your dog beef and rice is aggravating to digestion if there is an issue. You must feed him rice and white meat chicken. No beef. Honestly, I cannot believe your Vet didn't tell you this. It's time to find another Vet...seriously. I'm so sorry your Vet has not properly guided you.


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## mist1960 (Oct 24, 2012)

I ran across an interesting article on Dog IBS. Maybe you will find it helpful.

http://avidlifepet.com/inflammatory-bowel-disease-in-dogs/


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## owutaqt (Oct 15, 2012)

If it were me I would try Halo Pets, Spots stew, high fiber food that is good for stomach things, and also look into Synergy by Natural Balance, made for dogs with stomach and digestive problems.
Good luck hope puppy feels better.


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## RedGermanPinscher (Jun 22, 2012)

There are a number of other Grain free foods and or limited ingredients out there to try... Some of them are....





Wellness Simple Solutions: http://www.wellnesspetfood.com/produ...pet=dog&pid=46


Natural Balance: http://www.naturalbalanceinc.com/

California Naturals: http:// http://www.naturapet.com/brands/california-natural.asp


Nature's Variety Raw Instincts: http://www.naturesvariety.com/ (Rabbit Variety) they now also have L.I.D. Formulas

are just a few that I have had luck with..


Some other ones you can choose are:

Earthborn Holistic http://www.earthbornholisticpetfood....egal/index.php (not for Pups under a year)

Acana: http://www.championpetfoods.com/acana/ (Lamb and Apples Formula)

Fromm: http://www.frommfamily.com/products-...f-and-turf.php

Great Life: http://greatlifedogfood.com/ (seems to be the only food my Riley does not have frequent irregular bowel movements with) outside of the cheap stuff, yet when on the cheap stuff gets extremely yeasty ears and will scratch himself raw.


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## Jennet19 (Feb 8, 2010)

My schnoodle has had IBS for 2 years. My vet suggested a low fat diet and it works well. I have him on blue buffalo low fat in the yellow bag- it only has 7% fat. He has an occasional flare up but basically does well on this. Also give probiotics.


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## VickieLee (Jun 13, 2014)

My dog has had IBS for about a year. She's 14. I tried many different foods, meds, etc.. I finally put her back on the food she has eaten for the last 7 years ( Canidae Platinum). I give her the probiotic Proviable DC everyday and it has been a miracle. She still has occasional bouts, but mostly if she eats grass or eats something she shouldn't. The daily probiotic has made all the difference.


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## fourdogs (Feb 3, 2014)

You're getting a lot of good suggestions. If this were my dog (and I have a diagnosed IBS dog), I would put him on something simple. A chicken/rice or lamb/rice, SIMPLE dry food, and nothing more, at least until his stools are normal. 
I tried everything with Jack (except Rx food, but I was about to). He can eat Purina One Beyond, just the chicken/barley one and everything returns to normal. I tried several different foods, even cooked and raw over a year's time and still nothing helped him. I know people don't think much of Purina, but it has been such a relief for this guy who ceased vomiting and diarrhea and gurgly tummy and being rail-thin because he couldn't assimilate the nutrients in the food.

i hope you find something that works, and I tell you, I'd certainly go with the Rx I/D food if nothing else worked. It's better to have a dog on "crappy" rx food and be comfortable than to have a dog suffering from IBS. Good luck


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