Bullmastiff diet change problems...graphic ;)

[Purpledomino]

Ruben, my nine month old bullmastiff must have the most sensitive tummy on the planet. I like to put add-ons into his regular Acana kibble, but most times when I do, a terrible case of diarreah is the result. I have no problems with my other two dogs, but any change to his and its instant trots. The only things that don't seem to disagree with his GI tract are rice, pumpkin, yogurt, and a little canned dog food. Any time I've added even the smallest bit of raw food.....the squirts. I tried a small amount of broccolli today, and a boiled egg......the squirts. Raw bone to chew, or rawhide...squirts. I start again with the kibble until his poops are better, then try again with a bit of something else....squirts again. I am exasperated at trying to feed anything new to this dog. I'd love to supplement his kibble with raw, tripe, fish etc., but frankly I am scared of the outcome. A couple days on my hands and knees, not to mention the rolls of paper towels and lysol it takes to clean up after a bullmastiff........NOT my idea of fun. Never had a problem with any other dog in my life, geez, they could probably eat garbage and be fine. I know there are many regular posters with huge knowledge of this, if you can offer any help here I would be in debt to you!! Thankyou.

[technodoll]

I'd say to let his digestive system mature (for some dogs it takes up to two years... then it gets much better all by itself) and feed as well as you can in the meantime

have you tried giving him a broad-spectrum digestive enzyme before his meals with "healthy additions"? it can help more than you think!

hang in there... we've been there and done that with our boy, some days i was close to tears with frustration and running the food wheel (kibble, cooked, raw, meds, pills, you name it). What finally worked for him was the complete cessation of any and all commercial food. a 24 hour fast and only raw from then on, in the beginning with digestive enzymes and probiotics. now he has such perfect poops it makes you want to take a photo, LOL! he can eat just about anything and everything and be totally ok (well as long as it's not kibble. both my dogs get very sick on it...).

i wish you luck... i know it's frustrating as h3ll!!

[Prin]

Some doggies just can't handle changes. I'd just stick with canned and yogurt for now.

[meb999]

I would try putting him on a really bland diet for a few weeks...I agree with Prin, sometimes changing too often can make things a million times worse and the tummy just needs a couple of weeks to go back to normal. By bland diet I mean something like boiled chicken with rice...nothing else, no cookies, nothing!

I went through 1 year of searching for a food that didn't give Buster the squirts, so I feel your pain.

One thing that made a huge difference with my dog was digestive enzymes and probiotics. You can fiond them at your local pharmacy (if you buy them at a health-food store or at a dog food store, you'll get over charged for the same thing). Just get something broad spectrum (the probitotics are in a fridge, so you may have to ask the pharmacist). Add one pill of each to his bland diet and keep feeding (even if he gets the squirts) for at least 2 weeks.

Good luck!

[Purpledomino]

Thanks for the replies. I think I definately will try some digestive enzymes and probiotics. Is it a pill, and do I just ask the pharmacist "Can I have some digestive enzymes and probiotics?" Is it all together? Sorry but I haven't used them before. The fact that Rubens digestive system may just not be mature yet gives me hope. Technodoll.... looking forward to seeing a picture of the perfect poop, sounds like a work of art!

[Purpledomino]

Oops.... Mebb999 answered my question. One pill of each, okay got it...
Thanks!

[technodoll]

ha ha! would a "mental picture" do?

[Purpledomino]

Originally Posted by technodoll

ha ha! would a "mental picture" do?

Nope....need the real thing. Gotta have something to shoot for, when you dream...dream big!

(just kidding...apologies, stupid poop humour )

[meb999]

keep us posted on his progress...

[Purpledomino]

> Update < Still squirting today. Fed a little less kibble than his usual 2 cups, added some yogurt and white rice this morning. Lots of trips outside today... Going into town tomorrow, hopefully I can find some digestive enzymes and probiotics. (Walmart?) I think its going to just be kibble for this guy for awhile, and just a little canned. Too bad cuz I have all this cool stuff I picked up to feed him, tripe, canned fish etc., but its just not worth it. All this diarreah these past two days are the result of just one extra boiled egg, and a couple peices of raw brocolli. This is just crazy........arrgghh.

[RaYne]

I soooo feel your pain!! My male Saint had a similar problem. I swore up an down that he had a grain or protein intolerance or IBS/IBD. I couldn't feed him anything without it causing 'booty blowout' and the ONLY kibble he could eat without problems was a fish based kibble. Also because of the chronic diarrhea he wasn't gaining weight properly, and at one point he looked horrible. :sad:

This was ongoing from 9 weeks of age up until he 18 or so months old. He can now eat *most* of the foods that he couldn't eat before. We even switched him off the fish based kibble to Canidae that has 4!! different protein sources with no problem whatsoever. Plus now that he is properly digesting his food he's gaining weight, althought he still could use a few more pounds he looks tons better.

But almost a thousand dollars in vet visits and tests and the 'booty blowout' just stopped by itself one day! Go figure.. LOL

Definitely get the probiotics and digestive enzymes, they worked wonders for Bubba during that time. Walmart should have them as well as any drugstore in the vitamin isle.