Can I change my dog's canned food flavor without digestive issues?

While some dogs can tolerate switching between protein sources well (chicken to lamb, etc.), other dogs can have issues and develop GI upset with the change. Nutritionally there is no need to switch protein sources, and dogs can have an allergy to one protein source versus another. If you do switch, I would recommend a slow transition over a week to see how she handles it

Switching flavors of food, even within the same brand, can cause GI upset in the form of vomiting and diarrhea. Dogs do not get bored with the same food, they can eat the same flavor every day and be fine. There may be a medical reasons as to why she appears bored, such as a dental issue. I'd have her checked out with the vet to be safe. Best of luck.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding your dog. If he has had both flavors in the past, you shouldn't need to transition every time you switch. However, if he develops any vomiting or diarrhea, then he will need the more gradual transition. I hope this information helps!

A dog's digestive system is completely different to a human's digestive system. While the anatomy is the same, the physiological processes are different, meaning they process food differently. That's why certain food are toxic to them and they can never have certain ones such as chocolate, garlic, onions, grapes, and raisins among many others. A dog food is specially formulated to contain all the nutrients they need in that one bag; therefore, additional or different foods are not needed. Their system is much more sensitive than a humans in regards to changing foods, which is why it's not recommended to switch flavors. Dogs are perfectly fine with one flavor of food for their entire lives, and that one bag of food will give them all the nutrients they need to be healthy on a daily basis. Dogs are not humans, they are different creatures with different physiological processes, and therefore cannot handle different foods on a daily basis like we can. Their taste buds are also different than humans. They only have 1,706 taste buds compared to humans who have 9,000. All these flavors are essentially a marketing gimmick aimed at the owners who buy the food. We as humans like to think that our dogs love having "beef stew" flavored dog food for dinner, when in reality they don't care. We are talking about an animal that often likes eating their own poop! I hope this helps you understand why it's not recommended to continually switch flavors of dog food :-)

Hi there. In general, if you're making a change, it's best to gradually start mixing in the new food over the course of at least 2-3 days rather than switching all at once - this helps to avoid GI upset related to a sudden diet change. As long as you do this, it's fine to switch to a different flavor or brand if you want to.

Rotating food certainly isn't bad, but sudden diet changes can lead to GI upset in some animals, triggering vomiting and diarrhea. If you choose to change foods monthly, try gradually mixing the foods together for 5-7 days to ease the transition. Another option if you prefer offering a variety of diets would be to choose 2-3 diets and mix them together at all times. Make sure Mysti eats a puppy food that is formulated for growth until she is 1 year old.

If you can, go back to the other dog food. Dogs with very sensitive stomachs should be transitioned to new foods (even new flavors of the same food!) over 4 weeks. If the upset stomach continues for longer than 24-48 hours, Captain Hook should get checked out by the vet for medications to help with his symptoms.