# Iams/Eukanuba Response FP--Issues?



## gknaus (Oct 25, 2007)

I have a 6 year old chocolate lab who has always had alergies and so requires prescription food. The only one that seemed to stop him from constantly sucking on his paws is the Response FP but it stopped working several months ago. Now, he's throwing it up periodically so we've been to a soft diet (chicken, rick, and cottage cheese) after he gets sick and then back to the dry food. He doesn't get sick at all on the soft diet but starts throwing up again once he goes back to the dry food. He's been to the vet and appears not to have blockage and we can't figure out what's going on. I will not be putting him back on the Response FP but am curious if there's been any change in the ingredients or anyone else who's experienced a similar issue with their dog. 

Thanks for any help on this, 

Graham


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## UrbanBeagles (Aug 13, 2007)

Please be careful with anything made by the IAMS company! If its at all possible to switch this dog to another brand, please consider that an an option.

I used to feed Eukanuba for years. Last year, they changed the formulas of their regular diets, and IMHO, destroyed what had once been a high quality feed ... I was always first to defend Euk, to recommend it, and it was the only food I trusted with my in whelp bitches/pups. Unfortunately, the formula change ruined this brand. They lowered levels of Omega 3:6 fatty acids, and what was once a low carb, meat based food became a by product & grain based kibble. I also believe somethign else we can't see on an ingredient label was changed. My dogs were incontinant & experienced behavioral abnormalities. It was a living nightmare. Couldn't hold their urine for more than an hour or two, and literally destroyed my house  I am still replacing flooring & furniture that was ruined, and I have had them off Euk & on raw for about 8 months now. 

This was not an isolated incident ... One of the pups I bred was kept on Euk by his owners. They repeatedly reported he was incontinant, urinating on himself in the crate. He was tested for a UTI and that came back negative. Once I realized what was going on and they switched him to a different food (Wellness), this problematic behavior stopped dead in its tracks. I also have a neighbor who feeds his Lab & GSD Eukanuba. SAME PROBLEM! Incontinance, and he reported the dogs were becoming more aggressive. Next case in point - my cousin has fed her Lab Iams all his life. Recently the dog has become ill, and has protein in his urine. He's about 7-8 yrs old. 

I know you mentioned your dog was on a Veterinary diet. Again, I have a dog park friend whose Lab mix is eating Euk's Veterinary diet for allergies. Same problems. This dog's behavior has been changing for the past year or so, I'm not sure if he's incontinant, but he's quite ill. Coat is falling out in clumps, diarrhea, loosing weight. He was a huge, magnificent dog. He now is a shell of what he once was.

It IS the food, but I don't pretend to have a clue whats going on with their food. Right now, I believe anything made by Iams is just not safe. I also lost all my trust in this company. Last summer, when I first noted the problems after a recent formula change, I informed them of our troubles - they swore there were no ingredient changes even tho trhis was plainly listed on the ingredient panel. I know I'm not the only one who has complained to them, but they are choosing to let our voices fall on deaf ears. It reminds me of when Diamond's food was causing problems for a full year or two before the infamous aflatoxin recall - the company ignored its customers, and look what happened


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## Max'sHuman (Oct 6, 2007)

Geez, that's scary about the Iam/Euk changes. What could they be putting in that is causing all those problems? It's so weird because they are two of those brands that really get their name out there and outside of this forum and people "in the know" seem to have this reputation for really caring about dogs. I know that the Eukanuba dog show is on animal planet every weekend it seems. Why would that seems to try so hard to show that they care about dogs, not care? I guess it's a money thing, but wow. That is even worse than I thought.


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## gknaus (Oct 25, 2007)

Thanks for the info UrbanBeagles. I suspected a change in the ingredients but wasn't sure. 

My wife and I have permanently taken him off of the Iams allergy food since he can't keep it down. Fortunately, other than his allergies coming back and throwing it up, he hasn't had any health issues. He has lost some weight (he's now about 67 pounds instead of about 70-72) but looks like a very healthy lab. No need to spend $80 a bag (seriously) for food that doesn't help his allergies and that he can't keep down. I'm actually spending less making him a home cooked meal twice a day (chicken, rice, and cottage cheese) until i can find a quality food that he can keep down. 

I've spent hundreds of dollars in the last few weeks trying to figure out what's wrong (pancreatitis, UTI, ulcer, cancer, etc) and everything comes back perfect. So maybe it really is just about the food.


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## allab (Oct 6, 2007)

You should try this brand :
http://www.naturapet.com/brands/california-natural.asp
It's a hypoallergenic pet food thats made with a few ingredients.


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## Anela (Sep 8, 2007)

I have been told that Labs and Shepard’s are known for their food allergies. I have a Lab/Terrier with a wheat allergy. I also have a Shepard/Hound with the same thing. Thank the dog god that my Lab/Weimaraner does not have one.

My allergic dogs are on a hypo allergic food (venison and potato). Duck and potato is also available. Both are made by Royal Canin. I’ve fed venison and potato for over 12 years with no problem. 

When switching food, make sure you do it gradually, you should ask you vet how to do it properly. If you go with a hypo allergic food, don't give any treats aside from those that are also hypo allergic I give carrots lots of times. The old food takes about 6 weeks to completely leave the body.

My dogs both had the same symptoms as yours due to wheat. Corn can also cause numerous skin issues.

I discovered long ago that dogs are simply not built to digest grains. Some dogs do well with them, others just can't take it and they get all sorts of ailments due to their food that lots of vets just don't recognize. I’ve also noticed over the years that lots of other dogs have health and skin issues that mine don’t like bumps, dry looking skin, etc. 

Good luck!

Anela


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## Renoman (Mar 20, 2007)

To the OP: 

A very good hypoallergenic food is Natural Balance. The Fish/Sweet Potato is very good for dogs with allergies and also very easy on the stomach. Which might help to eliminate the throwing up. It is a far better food than Iams or Euk and it might be worth a try. It's about 1/2 the price of the prescription diet you were buying.


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## WAgal (Oct 13, 2007)

Our black lab, Scout, also suffered from food allergies and was constantly vomiting. We took him to a specialist in Portland OR and after removing him from commercial dog food and trying several people food combo's he was put on Euk fish and potato that we bought via the vet. This helped to get him 95% better with only the occasional vomiting. He always maintained a good weight even before the Euk.


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