Has anyone using California Natural dog food had a problem with the dog having a loose stool?
- admin in category: Dog food products
After learning what is in Iams Low Residue dog food, we decided to change her diet to California Natural chicken and rice. She loves the food, but has had a loose stool ever since we left the Low Residue behind and made the change, with the blessing of our Vet. He is puzzled and so are we. Didn’t think this would/could happen with this natural and wholesome food. Now we don’t know what to do. She has had plenty of time (3 months) to adjust to the change. Anyone have any advice? In helping her make the change, vet. prescribed forti flora and then metronitazole. Nothing is helping to firm her up, but she seems to feel fine. His present method of treatment is to keep her on the California N., with nothing else and hope for things to turn around. This has been going on for way too long. And her stool is like pudding. We’re thinking we need to put her back on the Low Residue no matter what is in it.
Natural Dog Food - Related posts:
Servin' a big slice of DUH! 22nd May 2010 4:53 am
Not every food is right for every dog. I would try another natural or holistic brand before going back to the Iams if I were you.
whitewolfsong 22nd May 2010 4:54 am
Most vets are not nutritionally knowledgeable. My advice is to go to a small independent pet store and ask questions about different foods. Do not go to Petco or Petsmart, they carry mostly the commerical dog foods that are not nutritionally good for dogs.
My golden has a problem with loose stools when he has to much fat in his diet. He’s been great, since I put him on Natural Balance Vegetarian dry and Natural Balance Sweet potato and venison dry equal parts with a spoonful of low fat cottage cheese and a spoonful of Evangers vegetarian canned food. his coat is magnificent now and he feels great and no loose stools
Joh 22nd May 2010 5:06 am
I raw feed (meat, bones, offal) and I have have found that on really ‘meaty’ weeks my dogs stools are much looser. The solution to this is to feed a few really boney meals.
Have you tried replacing a few meals a week with a raw meaty bone? The increased bone content will help with the diarrhea and it will also help to prevent periodontal disease.
BTW The lowest residue food that you can feed is a raw meat based diet. This is because the meals are much more digestible and nutritionally available so less waste is produced.
Tina m 22nd May 2010 5:24 am
I have 3 dogs(2 labs and a lab mix) and 2 are on Wellness(Healthy Weight) and one is on Science Diet(Sensitive Stomach). The lab that is on Science Diet was on California Natural. On California Natural, I found that his stools were loose at times. Also, I thought the food had far too many calories for him to maintain a healthy weight, so I took him off of it. I was told at the pet store that out of the premium brands, the California Natural Brand (some type of fish blend) was the easiest for the dogs that cannot handle the richness of the premium brands. At one time, I had him on Lotus which gave him really bad diarrhea so bad that he went in the house and stained my hardwood floors. So the Science Diet-Sensitive Stomach has been the best for him. My dogs genetics simply cannot handle those premium brands and I have tried many, you should do just what works for you. You should not feel guilt or pressure to feed him premium food, just feed him what works for him.
recon 22nd May 2010 5:44 am
Are you feeding your dog dry or wet food ? If its wet(can0 Thats your problem, use dry and a table spoon of wet for flavor.
thepuppyguy@yahoo.com
Mae K 27th May 2010 7:24 am
I was having some of the same problems on Blue chicken and rice large breed formula. My dog trainer recommended pumpkin puree for the immediate relief of the loose stool. I give a half a can in the am with small amt of food. Cut the food in half if cont loose stool. Try skipping a meal and see if that helps also. It is possible that you are feeding him to much, or he can’t handle the protein content yet.
I also started feeding “proper form “by honest kitchen with the food that had firmed her up for 6 months. The proper form is suppose to heal the GI tract system and ease transitions to better food. My dog trainer also wanted me to try foods with simple grains instead of rice. I used blue fish and sweet potato without problems, lamb and rice no problem. Picked up the plain chicken and rice and had problems 1 week later. I’m not sure I’m going to cont on blue (it wasn’t recommended to me by her) but will put her back on fish and sweet potato for now. Every dog is different so keep trying different foods till you get the right mix.
FYI she put her last service dog on Natural recipe r/t the owners limited income means, and the dogs food allergies.
Trish 10th June 2011 8:05 pm
I feed my dogs California Naturals also and I was having the same type of problems. If you look on the lable you will see that there are a lot of oils in the food and the fiber I believe isn’t that high. So after talking to my vet, he suggested that I add some Kellogs All Bran Cereal to the food, just sprinkle it over the top at each feeding. And sure enough it worked. Now I stopped the All Bran and they are fine with eating the food.