Rotating Dog Food Question

[danisgoat]

Just another consideration for those thinking about rotating diets. With a more stable diet, you can easily isolate when something is wrong, because if the diet hasn't changed, then something else has.

I know what I bought last and what they are eating at that time, so it is easy for me to figure it out.

 

[BarbV]

I know what I bought last and what they are eating at that time, so it is easy for me to figure it out.

That would be true if you are only dealing with dogs reacting negatively to a new food.

I'm talking about dogs with chronic ailments that require constant monitoring. I can't switch foods around because I would never know if his ALS/ALT counts were caused by diet or a more systemic issue.

 

[danisgoat]

That would be true if you are only dealing with dogs reacting negatively to a new food.

I'm talking about dogs with chronic ailments that require constant monitoring. I can't switch foods around because I would never know if his ALS/ALT counts were caused by diet or a more systemic issue.

So then it is probably not for you.

But, your situation is not the norm.

 

[k9kreationz]

You've almost convinced me.....however, because of Bacca's ongoing liver issues, I can't rotate diets around because if his next set of tests go awry, I would not know what the cause is. Was it diet or is his liver malfunctioning? Only very expensive tests would determine it.

Just another consideration for those thinking about rotating diets. With a more stable diet, you can easily isolate when something is wrong, because if the diet hasn't changed, then something else has.

That's mostly why I've been holding off switching to TOTW. I want to wait for his next bloodwork to create a new benchmark, then switch him.

Oh yeah, in cases like yours, where you're trying to figure out what is causing XYZ, rotating is a very bad choice. .

 

[BarbV]

So then it is probably not for you.

But, your situation is not the norm.

I wonder about that actually....I found Bacca's issues quite by accident.

Most dogs don't get diagnosed with hypothyrodism until late in life. But in reality they have had the condition for many years before it manifests. Usually in later years. I was lucky that we caught it early because of his other tests.

Similarly with Bacca's liver issues.....he had one flare up that led to finally to both diagnoses.

In all other respects, you would never know there was any condition.

I understand your position that rotating foods might remove 'sensitive tummy' symdrome. But I worry that it can also mask conditions that should be followed up on. That is, ignoring symptoms because you think its due to transitioning a new food

 

[danisgoat]

I wonder about that actually....I found Bacca's issues quite by accident.

Most dogs don't get diagnosed with hypothyrodism until late in life. But in reality they have had the condition for many years before it manifests. Usually in later years. I was lucky that we caught it early because of his other tests.

Similarly with Bacca's liver issues.....he had one flare up that led to finally to both diagnoses.

In all other respects, you would never know there was any condition.

I understand your position that rotating foods might remove 'sensitive tummy' symdrome. But I worry that it can also mask conditions that should be followed up on. That is, ignoring symptoms because you think its due to transitioning a new food

I am confused....you caught Bacca's hypothyroidism by accident. But I will miss my dog's potential health issues, because I rotate the foods?

When my dog was diagnosed with a Thyroid condition, I noticed it because he was lethargic and his hair got drier. I knew this was not from food because I always rotate around the foods and never had the problem before. So I took him to the vet, and got his blood tests done.

I am going to do what I believe is best for my dog, and never ignore symptoms. For example: Dandie had diarrhea at 6PM on Thursday night. I was on the phone with my vet at 6:10PM.

What symptoms are you worried about me missing in my dog, because I rotate foods? What symptoms did you see in your dogs, that you would have missed if you were rotating between dog foods?

I will repeat my stance above. Rotating foods is not for you because of your unique position.

 

[Justicemom]

I wonder about that actually....I found Bacca's issues quite by accident.

Most dogs don't get diagnosed with hypothyrodism until late in life. But in reality they have had the condition for many years before it manifests. Usually in later years. I was lucky that we caught it early because of his other tests.

Similarly with Bacca's liver issues.....he had one flare up that led to finally to both diagnoses.

In all other respects, you would never know there was any condition.

I understand your position that rotating foods might remove 'sensitive tummy' symdrome. But I worry that it can also mask conditions that should be followed up on. That is, ignoring symptoms because you think its due to transitioning a new food

I guess I come at this from a vet's prospective but I believe routine health screening and preventative exams to be the most important part of veterinary care for our dogs. This is for the very reason that changes can be very subtle and our dogs can't tell us something is wrong.

I recommend for my patients a PE every 6 months, baseline blookwork(chem profile and cbc) at 6 months-12months(usually when then get spayed or neutered) and then yearly until age 7. T4 screening at 1yr-2yrs and then yearly until 7yr. After 7yrs, I recommend chem and cbc every 6 months and T4 screening every other year. Some people follow this recommendation,some do not that's, some go with continue yearly as a senior, their choice. But I have had great success with catching things early when they are more easily managed, many of them are barely showing signs. It is harder to correct things that been going on for a long time or have tons of physical signs and longer for them to get better, if they ever do. Also if something is notice to be wrong, it should be checked out and not ignored until it is really bad(ie I'll see if it gets better)

Alot better than the old get them in for yearly vaccines and oh yeah lets do a quick PE but we send you out the door. See you next year. which we used to do. Hard to catch things that way.

I caught Jo's CAH at 9yrs and she lived to 14yr, Jazz's kidney failure at 12 and she lived to 15yrs and my cat Stretch's kidney failure at 14yrs and she lived to 19yrs. Jo and Stretch were before I was a vet. I firmly believe I brought them all atleast 2-3yrs(good quality). None of them were showing any signs at the time of diagnosis. I also know Ember, at one point had thyroid autoantibiotics but is not yet hypothyroid but could be in the future(watching)

.

 

[danisgoat]

I guess I come at this from a vet's prospective but I believe routine health screening and preventative exams to be the most important part of veterinary care for our dogs. This is for the very reason that changes can be very subtle and our dogs can't tell us something is wrong.

I recommend for my patients a PE every 6 months, baseline blookwork(chem profile and cbc) at 6 months-12months(usually when then get spayed or neutered) and then yearly until age 7. T4 screening at 1yr-2yrs and then yearly until 7yr. After 7yrs, I recommend chem and cbc every 6 months and T4 screening every other year. Some people follow this recommendation,some do not that's, some go with continue yearly as a senior, their choice. But I have had great success with catching things early when they are more easily managed, many of them are barely showing signs. It is harder to correct things that been going on for a long time or have tons of physical signs and longer for them to get better, if they ever do. Also if something is notice to be wrong, it should be checked out and not ignored until it is really bad(ie I'll see if it gets better)

Alot better than the old get them in for yearly vaccines and oh yeah lets do a quick PE but we send you out the door. See you next year. which we used to do. Hard to catch things that way.

I caught Jo's CAH at 9yrs and she lived to 14yr, Jazz's kidney failure at 12 and she lived to 15yrs and my cat Stretch's kidney failure at 14yrs and she lived to 19yrs. Jo and Stretch were before I was a vet. I firmly believe I brought them all atleast 2-3yrs(good quality). None of them were showing any signs at the time of diagnosis. I also know Ember, at one point had thyroid autoantibiotics but is not yet hypothyroid but could be in the future(watching)

.

Dr. Shelli-

Thanks for this. I truly believe this is invaluable information for our members. I actually just copied your recommendations and put it in a word document for my files so that I permanently have this.

This is an excellant protocol to recommend.

Dani

 

[PreciousSheltie]

Likewise, thank you for that information!

 

[SheltieChe]

So browsing through old threads proved to be very insightful as I learned something totally new today! And I tried to do a bit of my own research too and found:

"It is very important NOT to mix different brands of dog foods together, or even mix the same brand name, but different products within the line. An example of this would be mixing an adult and senior food of the same company, or mixing two brands i.e. Innova and Eagle together. Because every type of food developed by each company is "designed" nutritionally on a nutrient matrix system of vitamins/minerals/amino acids, it is critical to maintain the integrity of that nutrient panel in order for the food to be balance. When you move one element in that nutrient panel, it effects all the elements and therefore adjustments must be made in order for the food to be re-balanced.

When you mix two foods you will cause excesses and deficiencies in certain nutrients, as well as disrupt the delicate balance of the food, especially the minerals composition which is critical to the body's metabolic and skeletal systems. These deficiencies or excesses may not be evident immediately in an adult dog, but they will manifest in a slow deterioration of the animals health and reproduction capabilities over time. As we know from past experience, it does not take long for the body to exhibit dietary problems in a young growing animal (HOD, OCD, Pano).

To prevent these imbalances, stay with one "type" (puppy, adult, senior, etc.) of food at a time, and more importantly stay with one super premium brand of food. The use of whole foods; fruits, veggies, meat or canned meats, probiotics/digestive enzymes and dietary enzymes will enhance a diet without unbalancing it. It is fine, on an adult dog to rotate flavors for example, if feeding Eagle Holistic Chicken, when that bag is finished you can rotate to Eagle Holistic Fish or Duck for variety. "




- So my next question is... I have my 6 month old puppy on puppy Wellness right now and she was on Iams and wet can meat mix with her breeder before that (I stopped on the meat because it got a bit too hard maintaining it and because it ensured my puppy ate all of her kibble as she got too full on the meat to finish any of her meals).

Is this too early to start mixing?? I was thinking of looking at TOTW because it has a lot of lines to choose from within the brand but then found they didn't have puppy food.... is this a problem??



SORRY FOR THE LONG LONG POST

that is how those companies brainwash you to believe that only they produce truly superior products and you should never attempt to try to figure dog's nutrition on your own because heaven forbid you might realize $$$- profit is the main tool that motivates it and not deep research and care...
I hope common sense will prevail and majority of people are able to read between the lines...
regarding dog being picky... it is touchy subject and I do think providing no medical issues involved it is dog training the owner... I am all for investing in my dogs health by providing various and quality meals but if someone not eating... well, they not eating until they are... healthy dogs are unable to starve themselves, goes against their basic instincts...
and if you really look into it, once you get into decent quality doggie kibble they all just about the same... sure there are few gimmicks here and there... one added probiotics, another avocado, another botanicals from Dead sea...
rotating food- breeder of one of my pups is well educated biologist and by the time her pups are ready for their new homes, they get just about any veggie and meat mixed up in their food straight from a baby food jars.... just like a human baby gets weaned from milk being main source of their nutrition and graduates to chinese takeouts by their teens development of furry babies can and should follow same road...dogs are and always were opportunistic eaters... why would you let some money hungry company tell you otherwise?