# Why you should never change your dogs food quickly....



## Lintel (19 June 2018)

So pup has been abit off his food we think he does have something lodged as his lymph nodes are up again perhaps grass blade or seed as previously suggested...we are off to the vets today(again!)
He was refusing to eat his raw food so we has some old puppy kibble left.. sensitive hypoallergenic nonsense and made abit of a "bran mash" with it so it would be easier for him to eat(which he ate)- but I didn't think about the consequences of changing his food.
This morning we woke to this-






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Bad mum.


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## Amymay (19 June 2018)

Whilst I agree with you in principle, I suspect that this may be more to do with generally being under the weather/poorly. 

Good luck at the vets.


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## Pinkvboots (19 June 2018)

thing is bran mash has a laxative effect so I wouldn't have given it to a puppy or any dog come to that your better of with cooked chicken and some brown rice if they are poorly.


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## Sandstone1 (19 June 2018)

Gsds do have sensitive digestion.  Im guessing therecould be something more going on with him.  I hope your vet has some ideas.


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## Clodagh (19 June 2018)

Pinkvboots said:



			thing is bran mash has a laxative effect so I wouldn't have given it to a puppy or any dog come to that your better of with cooked chicken and some brown rice if they are poorly.
		
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Op made a mash with kibble.


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## MurphysMinder (19 June 2018)

Whilst I would agree you should ideally gradually change food,   a puppy kibble shouldn't have that effect on a dog that has been fed it previously unless it was seriously out of date.   I would tell the vet about the diarrhoea,  could be part of an ongoing infection.


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## Littlefloof (19 June 2018)

Agree that it's far more likely to be whatever is making him poorly that caused the issue, not the puppy kibble.  ASBO dog has about four brands of kibble that she'll actually eat now that I've weaned her off the Bakers she was eating before I got her  and I can chop and change between these brands without it causing digestive issues.


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## Pinkvboots (19 June 2018)

Clodagh said:



			Op made a mash with kibble.
		
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Oh I see


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## Lintel (19 June 2018)

Been to the vet she is going to sedate and scope him on Thursday to see if there is anything lurking. Temp etc were ok as is his appetite for treats... *rolls eyes* she suspects it's probably been the kibble and him having a sensitive stomach rather than a bug of any sort. He has a probiotic to help his gut lining for the next couple of days. 
He is still abit reluctant to eat "his" food though seems to be gagging abit, we think this is down to him having slightly swollen glands again. He seems to manage scrambled eggs and fish fine but should I be feeding him that for the next couple of days?  Any suggestions are welcome!


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## Cahill (19 June 2018)

mine have a bit of this and that,it never occurs to me that this may happen.
they are always very consistent in what they `do`....thank goodness


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## Cinnamontoast (19 June 2018)

Scramble egg and fish all good for a couple of days. Eggs are meant to have a binding effect so may firm up poo. Has the vet suggested gardia? 

I had similar sights when I stupidly swapped the pups to raw without thinking it through and gave them way too much raw salmon trimmings.


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## Lintel (19 June 2018)

cinnamontoast said:



			Scramble egg and fish all good for a couple of days. Eggs are meant to have a binding effect so may firm up poo. Has the vet suggested gardia? 

I had similar sights when I stupidly swapped the pups to raw without thinking it through and gave them way too much raw salmon trimmings.
		
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And what a sight it was OH did a runner but no what is it?


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## {97702} (19 June 2018)

Gardia is a parasitic infection which can cause diarrhoea - you would need to take a stool sample in and a lab has to take cultures, so it can take a week or two to get results

When I took my dog in with recurrent diarrhoea the vet explained it could be bacterial or parasitical - he prescribed antibiotics in case of the former, and had tests done for the latter.  Luckily the antibiotics (combined with ProKolin to retain the probiotic balance in the gut) cleared things up - we had 5 days or so on cooked chicken and rice/pasta, then put him on Chappie for a while (not great quality food but excellent for sensitive stomachs) and now I am moving him onto Barking Head all-in-one for sensitive stomachs

My worst experience was when I stupidly gave one of my greyhounds cows milk years ago - it went straight through her.  Literally.  Not fun to clear up....!!!


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## CorvusCorax (19 June 2018)

I've got one dustbin who can eat anything, but have had others who who get the runs/rip all their own hair out with any slight change in diet.

However taken in the round with the other stuff that's going on, think it's right that there's a thorough investigation.


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## Lintel (19 June 2018)

Thanks Levrier for clearing that one up. Hoping it's not been a bug but rather the change in diet. Eggs rice and a dash of probiotic for him the next couple of days!


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## Cahill (20 June 2018)

Lévrier;13793831 said:
			
		


			My worst experience was when I stupidly gave one of my greyhounds cows milk years ago - it went straight through her.  Literally.  Not fun to clear up....!!!
		
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they are all different-mine have a splash of cows milk on their dinner every day.


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## Micky (22 June 2018)

You could always add a bit of natural yogurt to the food too, great stomach calmer..


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## Amymay (22 June 2018)

Cahill said:



			they are all different-mine have a splash of cows milk on their dinner every day.
		
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I put water down with a splash of milk to encourage Daisy to drink.


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## SpringArising (22 June 2018)

The one and only time my dog's had gastroenteritis was when I was on holiday and my sister was looking after him. 

She'd come home from a night shift to a sea of diarrhoea, sick and blood. It was everywhere - sofa, rug, bed, floor... poor boy spent a few days at the vets but I'll be forever grateful that he waited for that until I was out of the country!


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## Mkw (22 June 2018)

Dogs are made for eating what ever comes their way, unless the dog is sick or especially sensitive I really wouldn't have any problems with changing food from day to day. 
I'd suspect the stomach thing came before the food change. It would also fit with him not wanting his regular food.

Anyway, I wish him a speedy recovery, there's nothing worse than when one's pet is poorly.


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## Amymay (24 June 2018)

How did you get on with the vet last week?


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## Lintel (26 June 2018)

amymay said:



			How did you get on with the vet last week?
		
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Goodness knows but thank you for asking  I'm sure he is out to cause us alot of money! His scope for foreign body got cancelled due to the runny bum. He had the probiotic paste and that seemed to clear things up.. He now has an infection in his willy which he had a course of Antibiotics for - they have finished and his willy is still gunky so back to the vets we go today. We are away on holiday on Saturday and he is in kennels so I'm hoping he starts getting back to 100%. The snorting has begun again today- he won't eat his own breakfast but he seems to manage ours and the cats fine! He is sky high running about and on MAJOR chew mode so is being watched like a hawk but I'm sure he'll have ingested something he shouldn't have and no doubt he'll be gravely ill on Friday... *rolls eyes*


Any idea if you can mulch together several vets trips and claim it as one for your insurance? -lives in hope!
As usual -butter wouldn't melt look-
FREE TO A GOOD HOME(in fact we'll pay you!)







Am


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## twiggy2 (26 June 2018)

Insurance is done per condition not per visit and depending on your policy it's per condition per year OR per condition up to a certain cost OR per condition for life with an excess paid each year.
So yes potentially more than one visit for the same condition can go on a claim with only one excess being paid.


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## Lintel (26 June 2018)

twiggy2 said:



			Insurance is done per condition not per visit and depending on your policy it's per condition per year OR per condition up to a certain cost OR per condition for life with an excess paid each year.
So yes potentially more than one visit for the same condition can go on a claim with only one excess being paid.
		
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Thanks twiggy my predicament is they have been similar but not the same condition- all little things amounting to around £100 and our excess is £99 so pointless claiming.  :/


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## CorvusCorax (26 June 2018)

Regarding the infection in his nether regions - can you remind me what age he is, and do you have a copy of his pedigree? PM me if you prefer. As may be able to offer some guidance.
Does he have any issues with skin or ears at this point? 
The thing with the kennels may work out in your favour. It was how we discovered my own dog had environmental allergies, as he totally cleared up in a sterile kennel away from triggers.


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## Lintel (26 June 2018)

CorvusCorax said:



			Regarding the infection in his nether regions - can you remind me what age he is, and do you have a copy of his pedigree? PM me if you prefer. As may be able to offer some guidance.
Does he have any issues with skin or ears at this point? 
The thing with the kennels may work out in your favour. It was how we discovered my own dog had environmental allergies, as he totally cleared up in a sterile kennel away from triggers.
		
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Thats intresting to know, he has no pedigree although mum and dad did he was an accident child...  I think he'll have allergies, he was very itchy as a young pup and got shampoo and antihistamines from the vet but since being raw fed that seems to have subsided. His ears are fine... thank goodness. His skin appears fine just now but he does get quite "itchy" at times. 
He is 9 months just now. How do you manage your dogs allergies CC?


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## CorvusCorax (26 June 2018)

If you could get me the pedigrees of sire and dam (as in, which dogs are behind him), that would be helpful as it will inform any advice I might be able to give you.
The dog I am referring to is no longer with us but a lot of his issues were genetic, which is why it would be useful to know your dog's lines.


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## Lintel (26 June 2018)

CorvusCorax said:



			If you could get me the pedigrees of sire and dam (as in, which dogs are behind him), that would be helpful as it will inform any advice I might be able to give you.
The dog I am referring to is no longer with us but a lot of his issues were genetic, which is why it would be useful to know your dog's lines.
		
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Not sure how I would get a hold of them as the chap wasn't a breeder(or wasn't suppose to be!) and I no longer have his number. How did you manage the dogs allergies?


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## CorvusCorax (26 June 2018)

A combination of things, antihistamines, feeding, shampoo, isolation from allergens. It was all firefighting, but your dog is still young so hopefully you will have a handle on it. Do pay attention as he matures.

If I knew his lines I could help better direct you or hopefully discount anything more sinister.
Do you even have his name or the rough area the dogs are from? Did this seller offer no aftercare at all?


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## Lintel (26 June 2018)

CorvusCorax said:



			A combination of things, antihistamines, feeding, shampoo, isolation from allergens. It was all firefighting, but your dog is still young so hopefully you will have a handle on it. Do pay attention as he matures.

If I knew his lines I could help better direct you or hopefully discount anything more sinister.
Do you even have his name or the rough area the dogs are from? Did this seller offer no aftercare at all?
		
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No seller was very disinterested in his unexpected litter sadly. Name was Robert and he was in Paisley Scotland thats all I have. Just back from vets I'm clearly being paranoid apparently entire males tend to have some discharge?


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## Clodagh (26 June 2018)

Lintel said:



			No seller was very disinterested in his unexpected litter sadly. Name was Robert and he was in Paisley Scotland thats all I have. Just back from vets I'm clearly being paranoid apparently entire males tend to have some discharge?
		
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They do! Especially when young.


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## Amymay (26 June 2018)

Make sure you speak to the kennels before Saturday if his Willy continues to be a problem. They may be reluctant or refuse to take him.


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## Clodagh (26 June 2018)

amymay said:



			Make sure you speak to the kennels before Saturday if his Willy continues to be a problem. They may be reluctant or refuse to take him.
		
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I have said on here before that I have never had an entire male who hasn't had a blob of smegma on his willy, unless he has just wiped it off on the carpet or someones legs. (Sorry OP, but this follows a convo on another thread about boys v girls!!)


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## Lintel (26 June 2018)

Thanks all, having never owned and entire male and being very young when our terrier was entire the thought hadn't crossed my mind about Smegma. I will say to the kennels the few issues we have been having


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## CorvusCorax (26 June 2018)

I have entire male GSDs and it's not something that has ever come to my attention. Certainly not something I would mistake for infection.
Again, just taking it in the round with other issues, I don't think the OP is wrong in being hyper-vigilant.


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## Clodagh (26 June 2018)

CorvusCorax said:



			Again, just taking it in the round with other issues, I don't think the OP is wrong in being hyper-vigilant.
		
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No I do agree with you there. I assume if the vet is not sure a culture could be grown to differentiate between normal and nasty?


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## skinnydipper (27 June 2018)

I have had several male dogs.  All normal male dogs have these secretions to a varying degree, unnoticeable in some but more obvious in others.  Both entire and neutered.  Sometimes it can be profuse and appear more  pus like, possibly could be mistaken for infection.  I hope your vet sent a swab for culture before prescribing more antibiotics in a dog with known gut issues.

I would not worry too much about his parentage at this stage, it is what it is.  We just have to work with the dog we have.


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## CorvusCorax (27 June 2018)

Skinnydipper, it's not a matter of being 'worried about his parentage', it's about whether I can offer the OP more targeted advice, based on whether this dog is from lines known to carry allergies/skin conditions, more serious things like AF or JRD etc (hopefully not), what to look out for and things to be concerned or not concerned about.
I had to do a hell of a lot of research to pin down and treat issues with my own dog and I was glad I had pedigrees to look at, otherwise I would have just been groping around in the dark.
Being proactive rather than firefighting would have been a tremendous help to me a few years back.
As a result I am more than happy to help anyone who needs it, in my own time.


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## skinnydipper (27 June 2018)

CorvusCorax, I am sorry you have taken offence.  It wasn't my intention to contradict or tread on anybody's toes.  My aim was to reassure Lintel not to worry about things that he/she was unable to do anything about, ie what is done is done, the dog is here now and has to be managed regardless of how he came by his problems.

I haven't the faintest clue about bloodlines and pedigrees, indeed if I was ever looking to buy a German Shepherd pup it would be to the more experienced GSD people on this forum that I would turn to for advice.  I know of 2 GSD breeders, one breeding from lines with epilepsy and the other from dogs known to have dysplasia and I am sure there will be those who breed from dogs with atopy.

Unfortunately I have more than my fair share of experience of dogs with multiple allergies, auto immune conditions and the associated problems.

I also have experience of the normal penile discharge normal dogs produce but had hoped not to go into too much detail.  I have had several male dogs and only with two has there been an issue.  

One elderly (neutered) dog developed balanitis and when I took him to the vet it was found he had a massive build up of these secretions under his foreskin - it was very thick, almost like felt.  I had not realised that as he got older he was failing to clean himself properly. From then on it was necessary for me to regularly retract his foreskin and clean under it for him. (you just do what you've got to do and it was that or continual discomfort and vet visits for him).  Prior to the episode of balanitis no discharge or secretions had been seen by me at any time.

With the other dog (entire) it is easily seen. In his case it looks like a green pus like discharge. It collects around the prepuce and can sometimes be copious to the point of dripping.  He does not have an infection.


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## CorvusCorax (27 June 2018)

Not offended at all, just explaining the reason behind my geekery .
Well, one of the reasons


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## AandK (27 June 2018)

Clodagh said:



			They do! Especially when young.
		
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Yes, we have a 1yr old lab (was 1 on 10th June) who is due for the chop soon, he is very gunky down there!  As was our 3yo before he was cut too.


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