Why does my dog get diarrhea when I change her food?

If Gemma was previously diagnosed with food allergies, then they don't seem to be better yet. What you are describing would definitely fit with a food allergy, so I'll give some comments about how I would address this problem. First, it can take several weeks for the allergy to go away after a diet change. So, if it's been less than six weeks after the diet was switched, then you'll need to wait a little longer before you know if it worked or not. Food allergies are due to certain proteins and they are usually animal proteins (beef, pork, dairy, etc.). To find the actual protein Gemma was allergic to, you must have done an elimination trial. If there was not an elimination trial done, then you would be only guessing at the source of the allergies. One way I often bypass the elimination trial is by recommending a hydrolysed protein diet such as Hill's i/d. In these diets, the proteins are broken down, so there is minimal chance of them causing an allergy. This would have to be prescribed by a veterinarian though. In the meantime, you may consider starting a diet trial to see if that helps to relieve the problems Gemma is having. Here is a link to a good article that explains how to do the diet: http://communityvet.net/2010/03/diy-elimination-diet-for-the-dog-an-cat/ Keep in mind that your diet trial will cease to work if she is getting any treats or table scraps. Make sure that there is no possibility of this happening - especially if there are kids in the house. As always, it's always best to do these things in consultation with your vet. They can also ensure that nothing else is responsible for the diarrhea. I hope this helps and Gemma feels better soon.

It is common that dogs will develop diarrhea from a sudden food change, but it can be challenging to do a slow diet change when they stop eating their regular diet. If Chi won't eat a bland diet, adding cooked white rice or cooked white or sweet potato to a diet may be a good option for her. I think at this point, you could continue the previous food since she was eating it well or try to introduce a new limited ingredient diet if that was what your vet had recommended. Sometimes 95% meat diets are too rich for dogs alone, but Chi may tolerate it with white rice or potato. However, you may also need to talk to your veterinarian about medication for the diarrhea since she has IBD and those dogs will sometimes have a harder time getting their diarrhea to resolve with diet change alone. I have included a handout with more information on IBD below. https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=598 Good luck! I hope that was helpful and that Chi feels better soon. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Diarrhea can be observed with conditions such as colitis, gastroenteritis, dietary indiscretion, intestinal parasites, among many other possibilities. This could be a sensitivity to the food that she is currently eating. You can start by changing her diet to a sensitive stomach type diet to see if she improves. If no improvement is noted, I recommend that you have Stella evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They may choose to check for parasites and to start medications for diarrhea depending on the results. Good luck! Hoping for a speedy recovery!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Allergies don’t typically develop that late in life. Also, dogs don’t have grain allergies, they have allergies to the protein source in the food. So if she had a problem with chicken, you could try a beef or fish formula. However, those areas on her skin and the diarrhea don’t make me think allergy. I would take her to a vet for an exam to rule out other skin problems, like an infection, and discuss the diarrhea. Diarrhea from diet changes doesn’t usually last that long. They may want to check her stool for microscopic parasites, or check blood work for internal organ changes. Good luck and kisses to Ethel!

Hi, sorry to hear Luna is having this problem. If she has allergies that are not responding to allergy medication, she may need some tests to determine what is the cause of her allergy. IF can be environmental, or it can be food. If it is food, you can get a prescription hypoallergenic diet from your vet. Labradors are prone to allergies and it may be more than one thing setting her off. Since allergy medication is supposed to work soon and not last long, i would call your vet and ask for a different recommendation for allergy tablets. I see the main ingredients in the food you are feeding is lamb. It may be your dog is allergic to lamb, and you can try another meat based food like duck or venison. But if she has been fine on the food for 3 months, the food is not likely the cause. Can she possibly have gotten some other kind of food? Did anyone give her a tablet scrap or treat? That could have set off an allergic reaction. In this case, you just have to wait until it leaves her system and use an antihistamine. I would try a different antihistamine with a different main ingredient. Your vet can guide you to a product available in your area. Good luck with Luna! I hope this helps!

I hate to hear this is happening. Any dogs with chronic diarrhea that does not respond to OTC diets needs to be examined by the veterinarian. She may have a parasite, a bacterial issue or she may need a prescription diet meant for dogs with dietary intolerance or food allergy. Blonca will need some diagnostics. And the doctor will need a good idea of what diets you have tried in the past. I hope this helps.

Hello, sorry to hear about Snowball. Certain food proteins can definitely cause inflammation of the bowel and thus diarrhea. There are 3 main categories that we consider when we talk about diarrhea that has been going on for a long time. Food Responsive diarrhea is one which responds to a different type of protein or more fiber or gluten free food. A diet trial should be performed for a period of 6-8 weeks with each food change Snowball sees as it takes that long to have a response. Antibiotic Responsive diarrhea is that which responds to long term use of antibiotics such as metronidazole or tylosin powder. Steroid responsive diarrhea is that which is typically caused by an inflammatory process such as autoimmune disease and thus the steroids work by suppressing the immune system. Managing these problems can definitely be stressful for the owner, pet, and veterinarian but with some patience you will hopefully get to the bottom of it. Best of luck and hope this helps.