# Fiber Question



## JillandDan (Sep 8, 2010)

As you all know Holley (now 10 months old) has had tummy troubles since a week after we brought her home. The vets have confirmed that they feel it is fiber responsive colitis and that she won't grow out of it. We have been mixing pumpkin in with her puppy food (Nutro Natural) for quite some time now. The vet had told us that there are a couple prescription adult foods that we can try in a few months but they are very expensive ($50 for 17lb bag). We are thinking of going with a grain free option and still adding a fiber but thinking of a change since she seems to be tired of pumpkin. I read that you can add things like bananas, carrots, etc to the food. Has anyone tried this? Do you think it would be an option? Also, what brand of grain free do you recommend?
Thank you in advance for your thoughts on this.


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## Chestersmum (Jun 21, 2010)

Have you thought about a BARF diet?


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## kellygh (Oct 25, 2010)

There are lots of good grain free foods, but there are some that seem to have a little bit higher fiber content. Specifically, I am thinking of ones that are 4-4.5% fiber max. The ones I can think of that get good reviews (I'm sure there are others) are: Taste of The Wild Wetlands, Wellness Core Ocean (I think Holley didn't care for Wellness but may be different formula), Solid Gold Barking at The Moon, Natural Balance (all stage food with Limited Ingredients), and Go! Natural Grain Free Endurance (all stage). Maybe one of those mixed with some of the added fiber you mentioned? Our Dachshund, bad allergies, has done well on Natural Balance, but she does not have stomach issues. None of the aforementioned foods are cheap, but you will not be paying $50 for 17 lbs--ouch  The all stage foods may be worth a try if only to eliminate another change when Holley no longer need pup nutrients? 

The BARF was a good suggestion. Instinct also makes raw food. They have a chicken, turkey, beef, venison, & rabbit option. We make patties to freeze or use the trial size. We use it as an additive to entice Pumpkin to eat her kibble, but I have no experience with feeding a strictly raw diet.

I'm sorry to hear that Holley won't grow out of the colitis; however, I'm glad y'all have some answers and can move forward in finding food she thrives on & enjoys. Any new pictures of Holley? Best wishes & Good Luck  !!


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## Macaroni (Jan 19, 2011)

We use Acana. It's grain free and produced by same manuf as Orijen, although protein content isn't as high (around 30-32%) and not as expensive. Depending on the main protein used (flavour) $60-68/large bag (Cdn). We also mix banana's, apple, and carrot into Mac's food on occasion.


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## JillandDan (Sep 8, 2010)

Chestersmum,
I have thought about the BARF diet but think it may not be the best option for Holley at this time. Thank you for the recommendation though.
kellygh,
Thank you for the list of foods. Dan was thinking about the Wellness Core but we are unsure since it is fish and the vet thinks she may be allergic to that as well since she had the tummy trouble when she ate a salmon treat at obedience class. We still have about 2 months to make the decision and we look everytime we go to the store. For now I think we just try adding the carrots or bananas and see if that gets her interested in her food again. They are so picky. Haha. 
I posted a few pics in the picture forum of Holley at my work but here is one from Easter (she turned 10 months that day)


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## JillandDan (Sep 8, 2010)

Macaroni,
We are looking into Acana as well. Thank you for letting me know that you mix fruits and veggies as well. Do you notice a difference when you do this?


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## kellygh (Oct 25, 2010)

JillandDan--Holley is adorable! She has an expression similar to Pumpkin in that picture  Have y'all thought about moving ahead with allergy testing to eliminate trial & error? I know it can be very expensive, the reason we have not done it for our Moxie, but I think we are going to have to bite the bullet and do it :'( I'm trying to convince myself that over the long haul we will save $ by not buying food/treats or bedding we find out we can not use. Those mistakes sometimes end up in a vet visit too, because her skin becomes so inflamed and bleeds. $$$ Moxie does not do well with fish either, but many of the grain free foods come in a variety of meats. Pumpkin is now on Go! Natural and doing well. She has been so picky like you said, and she seems to prefer Go! Natural over Orijen. Anyway, good luck!


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## raps702 (Dec 19, 2010)

We are currently mixing DCO (Dual fiber control) made by Purina with Blue buffalo approximately half and half and Axel seems to be doing ok with this ratio. However our vet was having the same problem with his dog (bull mastiff) his stools were not formed at all and he tried everything, and he just switched to a grain free diet, and it is working wonderfully, the dog food he is using is called Avoderm( salmon) (new formula). We are thinking of trying Axel on this diet, when he gets a bit older.
I don't currently mix fruits with Axels food but I do give him pieces of banana, carrots, apples, quite often which he enjoys.


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## Macaroni (Jan 19, 2011)

JillandDan said:


> Macaroni,
> We are looking into Acana as well. Thank you for letting me know that you mix fruits and veggies as well. Do you notice a difference when you do this?


I haven't noticed any difference when we add the fruits and veggies. Just start off not giving too much at a time....maybe start of w/ only a few peices of bannana, then carrot, then apple, etc (I cut the carrot and apple up small b/c otherwise Mac has difficulty eating carrot). That way you hopefully won't upset Holley's stomach, but if you do have any issues you'll know which fruit/veggie is the culprit. But again, we've had no issues w/ stools or anything, although the banana can produce some stinker gas on occassion but doesn't seem to upset the stomach or anything.

Best of luck w/ it.


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## JillandDan (Sep 8, 2010)

kellygh,
We haven't tested because the vet thinks that it is all related to the fiber responsive colitis because she has the same symptoms with the treats as she does without the pumpkin in her food. Straining followed by blood in stool. We found a chicken jerky at the pet store that she loves and can tolerate. It isn't cheap but it gives her somehing different than the same old boiled chicken all the time. And this stuff has vitamins in it which is really good. We also give her a probiotic to help with the matter. I am hoping to try the fruits/veggies this week and see how she does. Hopefully it all works out well. Thank you for the good luck wishes. 
raps702,
Holley's stool issue is more so blood from straining. It only occurs when she doesn't have pumpkin (fiber in her food). He stool is usually pretty formed. She didn't seem to care for either flavor of Blue Buffalo so we switched to Nutro Natural but thank you for the thought. I have seen the Dual Fiber Control Purina for dogs. My vet wants to try to see if we can find an adult food she likes and just keep adding in the Fiber. I was also looking at the Royal Canin Gastrointestinal HF. We have alot of research to do in the next 2 months. 
Macaroni,
Thank you for the advice. I will definitely just still to one item at a time so I know which one, if any, may cause an issue.


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## sarahaf (Aug 17, 2009)

kellygh said:


> JillandDan--Holley is adorable! She has an expression similar to Pumpkin in that picture


Off topic--but at home, we refer to that as a "bitey face" (because as a puppy, that's the face Rosie would make before a nipping frenzy; she still makes that face, especially when she wants to eat or chew something).


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