Jeni said:
My Vizsla and German Shepherd have been on the same food almost all their lives (10.5 and 4.5 years). The supplier has completely stopped manufacturing their lamb and rice food. It was a Food Lion brand lamb and rice mix. We have tried other lamb and rice meals, but the dogs seem very gassy and worse, miserably itchy. They eat, they itch, so I think it is the new food.
Any suggestions for a food that does not have corn or other allergen triggers, that a German Shepherd's stomach can handle? I'm also trying not to break the bank on dog food. Thanks!
Jeni (and the pooches)
A couple of things which might be of help. First, having GSDs all my life, and having bred them and shown them, unless you have had your animals tested for allergies to corn (et. al.), then GSDs are
not prone to allergies from corn in general.
The Food Lion brand of food is not a
designer brand, but a store brand...which is probably less rich than the new ones you are trying. Lamb and rice diets are fine...actually they are good diets, except for a couple of things. The negative is they are high in fat....this is not a good diet for a large breed dog....even though the animals love them. Also, a lot of the lamb based diets are made from lamb that have chemicals in them...and are not called out on the ingredients...because the chemicals are from the food that the lamb is fed. There are some products that are made with "natural" lamb.
If you are switching your animals' food, you should do so gradually by adding half and half for a couple of weeks before giving them the 100% new food.
Your description of what is happening can be a couple of things...yes, it probably is the food change. Yes, it is probably upsetting to them. And, most important it sounds like they need to have more bulk in their system. I'm sure you are aware of anal glands...normally what happens is the food is processed and as the waste exits the body, the stools expresses the anal glands. If there is not enough bulk, there is itching, scratching, and very often foul smells from the dog. If this is allowed to continue, you could end up with perianal fistulas... and this is a definite possiblity...especially in GSDs! And, it is nasty.
I suggest you try a food with the first ingredient as chicken, not lamb. There is not reason not to try the additive corn or other grain, unless they have been tested and are allergic to them. Another try is to add canned pumpkin to their food, or just give them several tablespoons a day. This is a great source of fiber which they definitely need, and might help the itching, scratching, and potentially scooting because it itches. (That's canned pumpkin with no additives!)
Try Natural Choice for a change...it's a good food, not terribly high in fat, has good fillers, and animals seem to love it. Most pet stores have samples...and all manufacturers stand behind their products. If for any reason, it doesn't work, you can always bring it back to the store for a full refund. So, try it, it might be a good fix.
