Dog Community

New Food = Constipated

Posted : 12/13/2008 3:16:54 AM

My dog has always had a weak stomach which resulted in diarhea so I always had to slowly transition his food over 7 days. He was previously on Canidae and then Canine Caviar.

However, we ran out of food and the local pet shop did not have Canine Caviar so we got Nature's Variety Instinct and transitioned his food over 1 day and he was/is constipated.

Couple of questions:

1. For people who feed Instinct Chicken Meal, does it make your dog constipated and did it improve?

2. Anybody know why he would be constapated from it (yeah yeah, I'll give him some pumpkin)? Different "carbs" (rice vs millet vs tapioca) or higher protean?

3. Anybody who switched to a higher protean food that caused your dog to become constipated?

Thanks,

SU

4HAND

Posted : 12/13/2008 7:09:30 AM

Taste of the Wild made Jewel's poop hard and dry at first but I didn't consider her constipated because she was going regularly and not straining.

Tena

stanton

Posted : 12/13/2008 10:42:30 AM

Nature's Variety has sometype of seed in their formula too, this could be causing some of it.

It IS a much meatier based food, thus could cause bowel changes for sure. Try walking her more and rubbing her belly for a few days, she should work thru it.

I have a pom that's really bowel sensitive too, he can eat just about anything without problems, but he does get constipated easy, he HAS to have some pumpkin in his food at least 3 times a week. If he gets walked, Pom's are not much for walking in the winter, daily then we don't really have an issue, but I have literally added fruit to their diet for this reason, he poops so much easier with it.

momoftwo

Posted : 12/14/2008 8:57:39 AM

That's interesting. Most foods made my girl have loose movements. (she has an irritable bowel) and on my vets recommendation we tried Purina One and that made her strain and not be able to go easily. We finally had to switch to a presc. food