Dog Community

hills science diet k/d with overspray of omega three..and the representatives advice...poor

Posted : 11/1/2011 5:14:03 PM

I am new to this site, however due to Beatrice our mixed breed having severe loose bowel issues for over 8 months now, prompted me to do a little research into dog foods etc for allergies..she has been diagnosed with corn/wheat food allergies....environmental allergies...she now gets glass food and water bowls.. and basically what we (our Vet) and I believe to be IBS..........due to the severity of her bowel problem we went from lamb and rice to hills science diet k/d after bag one...still loose bloody mucous stools...our vet called the rep for hills rx....they stated there was an overspray of omega three and to add 2 tsp of metamucil to her diet k/d and it would clear up the problem...well $160.00 later still loose stools and blood and mess, lack of control due to the watery stools..the vet double checked with the hills rep....still same advice metamucil and its gonna take a while 6-8 weeks for her system to adjust...it was painful to see my little pooper strain like a racehorse to just let out bloody mucous and let alone paying for another bag of k/d...i called the vet again...whats the chance she's allergic to chicken in the k/d....possible...however the metamucil should have helped firm up stools according to the rep....I suggested that we take her off the k/d and transition her to another dog food...he agreed to try...so here we go again...d/d.....well even with the transition of dog food amazing results just with the first day....near normal bowel....at the prospect of having a normal dog..i quickly upped her transition to day three being fully on the d/d....normal bowels to the point beatrice was even shocked as to what came out her hind end...lol....my beef???......$160.00 out the drain for rx dog food with metamucil recommendation by the sales rep....with metamucil being a fiber and used as a laxative therapy....didnt make sense to me or the vet yet the rep stated the 7 dogs in anchorage ak recovered based on that metamucil therapy....I will keep her on the d/d....however will be looking for a grainfree,venison potato dog food without any added chicken turkey etc....we still are not sure if she's allergic to the chicken....but frankly we are just plain happy that she's a normal "pooper" hair filling in again...and not straining like a racehorse to reilieve herself....this site has been valuable in information and needless to say I was fortunate to find it...I was getting desperate in food choices for an IBS dog....and the frustration levels were high...so thanks for all the recipes and info....and this is just a reminder that reps are just that sales reps....I am currently in contact with Hills rx for a compensation of the dog food sold with the overspray and metamucil advice from a non qualified source..as I will be still using thier product til i can locate a similar food ....thanks for being there with all the info!!

jessies_mom

Posted : 11/3/2011 6:33:16 PM

Hi Teri and welcome to the forum; I'm glad your pup is doing better but sorry she was so sick. Hill's quality control is among the best in the business, so it's very surprising that they would put too much omega 3 on a food, but anything can happen. k/d is high in omega 3's because it helps the kidneys.

About her being allergic to corn and wheat; was that determined by food allergy testing? Testing the blood for food allergies is very unreliable. It may be best to stay with the d/d if it's working (rice and egg are very easy on the digestive system). You could try cooking for her, using one protein and one carbohydrate. If she reacts to the diet, you could change the protein source first and if that doesn't help, change the carb source. By methodically doing this, you should be able to determine which foods she can tolerate and choose a commercial food with those ingredients or have a balanced diet formulated for her. Monica Segal is formulating a diet for my dog;

Individualized Nutrition For Your Dogs

She had a dog with severe IBD. She formulates diets for dogs with many medical conditions and will work with your vet if you want her to.

teri4188

Posted : 11/3/2011 8:07:44 PM

thanks again Jessie!!! I replied via email to you....so not sure if it returns to this site...but however....Beatrice was never tested for food allergies via blood, the vet also agrees unreliable..we went through months of food eliminations prior to her k/d....Hills has responded to me and verified and compensated ....which thankfully now that the d/d is working will go right back to them!!! lol...but as long as Beatrice is "normal" she's on it...I am going to check out the recommended site and see If after Bea stays consistent with her stools if I could locate a lower priced brand to work with...The poor thing was so malnourished when we got her from the rescue mission that she was delayed in growth, teeth and bone....1/3 can of cheap dog food per day for the mixed breeds...the full blooded were well taken care of...we found out later that all the dogs were in cages in dark barn....hence her comfort when she gets upset is to go under covers and in the dark..its all she knew....our belief is that its great to want to take them in...and rescue and relocate...however have the means to do so properly and provide proper nutrition and housing...but when you cant unfortunately its the animal that still suffers in the long run... off to check out your recommendation... thanks again!!! teri

jessies_mom

Posted : 11/3/2011 8:28:45 PM

You're welcome; Big Smile Jessie has many food allergies and chronic pancreatitis. When she was first diagnosed with pancreatitis, she did very well on canned i/d. I'm not a fan of the regular line of Hill's food because of the ingredients, but their Rx diets can be a life saver. If you decide to book a consultation with Monica, you will find that she's great to work with. The introduction of one of her books, Optimal Nutrition, is written by a professor of small animal nutrition at Ohio State University, and the book is on the suggested reading list for veterinary students. Bea is so lucky that you have her and I hope she stays stable from now on.