When You Switch a Dog to a Grain Free Diet Will Their Poop Ever Get Firm Again?

Have you lot ever wondered how dogs can eat the same nutrient every day? It turns out, dogs don't really need variety in their food. Often "picky" dogs are the ones property out for human food.

For all the canines readily eating their meals, as long as the food packaging has a label from the Clan of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), the food is considered complete and balanced. If the food you feed daily is complete and counterbalanced, you are giving your dog everything they need to alive.

There are a few good reasons to consider switching dog food. If you lot need to brand a diet change (due to a veterinarian recommendation or a lifestyle modify), following a diet transition timeline will aid your dog adapt to the new ingredients, and may assistance prevent some unwanted consequences.

This article volition help you understand reasons to switch dog food, how to switch diets, and what to do if you accidentally switch as well fast. If you lot do need to make a change, you lot will be ready.

Switching Canis familiaris Food: Should You lot Do It?

There are a few situations in a dog's life that may justify a food change.

These include:

• A transition from puppy nutrient to dog food
• A transition from dog nutrient to a senior domestic dog food
• A transition from kibble to a canned version
• A transition to a veterinarian-recommended prescription nutrition

Many pet owners will switch from a puppy-specific formula to an developed canis familiaris nutrient formula as their puppies abound upward. A food change may also be recommended when dogs enter the senior phase of their lives equally food and calorie needs change.

If your dog was born with a medical condition, or develops ane during their life, a change in diet prescribed to address the condition may aid your pet to feel better and even live longer. For instance, if your dog has digestive problems, your veterinarian may recommend switching to a dog food for sensitive stomachs.

When Switching Dog Food is Not Recommended

There are situations where irresolute a domestic dog's nutrition is not recommended. Ane such situation is switching a domestic dog's nutrient to forestall nutrient allergies. Currently, there is no prove to back up this concept.

Since nutrient allergies develop because of a canis familiaris'south genes, and not because of the number of foods they take been exposed to, it is best to go on your dog on the ane food they do well on and manage whatsoever allergies if/when they become prevalent in your domestic dog's life.

How to Switch Domestic dog Food

A diet transition timeline varies from x days to iii weeks in elapsing depending on the individual canis familiaris and their individual gut tolerance.

If your dog's intestines tin can manage most foods, then a x-day diet switch schedule is almost appropriate. For more sensitive dogs, it's all-time to take things nice and slow and use the longer transition schedule.

Curt Dog Food Transition Timeline

Day ane, ii and 3	75% electric current food + 25% new food
Day 4, v and half dozen	fifty% current nutrient + l% new food
Day 7, 8 and ix	25% current food + 75% new food
Day 10	100% new food

Long Canis familiaris Nutrient Transition Timeline

Week 1	75% current food + 25% new food
Week 2	50% current food + 50% new food
Week 3	25% current food + 75% new food
Calendar week four+	100% new food

The percentages in the timelines to a higher place refer to the quantity of food fed. For example,  if earlier the transition you were feeding two cups of the current food, and then twenty-four hour period 1 of the transition you would feed 75% of the current nutrient which is ane½ loving cup. This leaves ½ cups of the new food to fill the bowl.

Regardless of which nutrition transition schedule is used, it is generally recommended to give your dog a pet-specific probiotic during the transition to help your dog's stomach break downwards and assimilate the new ingredients in a good for you manner. Consult your veterinarian to find the best probiotic that is recommended for your dog.

Side Effects of Switching Dog Nutrient

If you didn't have the fourth dimension to follow a diet transition schedule, or if you otherwise tried to switch too quickly, yous might get to run into what intestinal upset looks like.

Consider a time when you have eaten a brand new cuisine or a nutrient you lot were otherwise non used to eating. The stomach pain and/or bathroom consequences you experienced are similar to what a dog goes through subsequently eating something their body is not used to. Intestinal upset can manifest equally throwing upwards, lilliputian or no appetite, or diarrhea.

Diet-Switch Diarrhea and What to Do

For dogs, the well-nigh prevalent consequence of switching nutrient too rapidly is diarrhea.

When the intestines come in contact with new food suddenly, information technology can first secreting water into the intestines. Water mixed with these foreign ingredients can then quickly make their style toward your dog's hind-terminate and you might see the following symptoms:

• Your dog showing an urgency to become to the bath
• Needing to go more oftentimes
• A softer or liquid stool quality
• Peradventure even some blood in the stools

If you changed your dog'south food suddenly and at present they have diarrhea, generally a bland nutrition is recommended.*

A bland diet recipe consists of approximately 50 per centum white rice and fifty per centum boiled, low-fat, boneless, skinless, seasonless chicken or turkey. The white rice helps to absorb the extra moisture in the intestines, while the bland protein provides an easy-to-digest free energy source.

Forth with a bland diet, a domestic dog probiotic should be started and given for at least five days. Remember of giving a probiotic like an antibiotic class, but instead of killing bacteria, we are simply providing the canis familiaris's system with the bacteria that volition help them digest food normally again.

Keep in listen that a banal nutrition is not meant to be a long-term solution. Information technology does not provide all of the nutrients that a domestic dog needs, and then information technology shouldn't exist used for more than a few days. If your dog is having vomiting and diarrhea for more than than 24-48 hours, he should see a vet.

* If your dog is less than one year of historic period and is having diarrhea for more than six hours, bring them to your veterinarian correct away for intendance and rehydration.

Nutrition-Switch Airsickness and What to Do

In a small subset of cases, a domestic dog fed a diet they are not used to may throw up (vomit).

Every bit some of the abnormal food ingredients are sensed past the intestines and absorbed into the body, the brain may initiate a reflex that causes the stomach to button food back up towards the oral cavity in a forceful manner (retching). The process is complete when the food material is expelled from the body.

Your dog may throw up in one case or several times depending on what they have eaten and how sensitive they are.

If you inverse your dog'southward food suddenly and now they are vomiting, give them free access to h2o, merely exercise non give them whatever food for a couple of hours** to let their stomach rest and recover.

After 2-4 hours, endeavor giving a small-scale amount, nigh ¼ of the current meal quantity, of their electric current (not new) food and see if they are interested and are able to go along the food down. If they do, you can then offer them the remainder of their meal.

** If your dog is less than one year of historic period and is vomiting, do not withhold nutrient from them. If they continue to vomit for more than than 6 hours, bring them to your veterinarian correct away to assist them stop airsickness and go rehydrated.

Diet-Switch Inappetence and What to Do

Eating less (inappetence) or non eating at all (anorexia) may event because of stomach upset or nausea when switching domestic dog nutrient. If you have started a nutrition transition and your dog is at present eating less or non eating at all, information technology is generally recommended to follow the same guidelines as for if your dog is vomiting afterward eating a new food***.

Allow their stomach residual for a few hours with free access to water. After the rest, try to offer them a small corporeality of food to come across if they will eat information technology. If they exercise not, endeavour once more in a few hours.

*** If your dog less than one year of age and is eating less than normal or not eating at all, practise non withhold food from them and exist sure they have gratis access to water. If they are not eating for more than six hours, bring them to your veterinarian correct away for intendance.

When to Switch to Adult Dog Food

Depending on your dog's breed and individual variation, puppies can become adults at different ages.

Smaller dogs become an adult at around 8 months of age; medium-sized dogs around 12 months of age; large dogs around 18 months of age; and giant-breed dogs, around 24 months of age.

When your dog becomes an adult, switching to an adult dog food is an choice but is not mandatory. While some dogs may practice well long-term on puppy or all-life-stages food, the extra calories in these diets can create bug with weight gain and obesity.

Notation : Canis familiaris foods labelled "all life stages" have the energy content and composition of puppy nutrient.

How to Option an Developed Dog Food

Here are a few guidelines to assist you choose an developed domestic dog food when the time is right:

• To make the transition every bit polish every bit possible, consider keeping the brand of developed food consistent with the make of puppy nutrient you were feeding.
• It is important that the food is "complete and counterbalanced" so that your canis familiaris volition receive all the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients they demand in the correct proportions to support a functioning body.
• Make certain you are happy with the ingredients list. If you accept whatever concerns, speak to your veterinarian.
• Be sure y'all are happy with the price tag. Since your dog will be on this long-term, make the food fits inside your budget .

Once y'all take establish the right food for your young adult dog, be sure to follow the nutrition transition schedule to a higher place to minimize stomach upset.

When to Switch to Senior Canis familiaris Food

A dog is more or less considered a senior at around vii-8 years of historic period.  A senior dog nutrient provides fewer calories to your dog during a given meal. The assumption backside the pattern of a senior diet is that, every bit dogs age, they are not every bit active as they once were  and do not demand the same number of calories as an active adult dog.

The problem with that assumption is that each dog is an individual whose free energy, appetite, and metabolism are unique to that private.

Here are a few guidelines to aid yous decide whether and when to switch your dog to a senior diet:

• If your senior dog is healthy, maintaining a good for you torso weight : It is more often than not recommended to continue feeding your dog the adult nutrient they know and love.
• If your senior dog is healthy but is gaining weight or overweight : A senior diet might be a good idea then you can encounter your dog's calorie needs without the extra weight and stress on their body.
• If your senior dog is seemingly healthy only unintentionally losing weight : Consider an exam with your veterinary to effigy out the cause of weight loss before making a conclusion about your dog's diet.
• If your senior dog has a illness condition (diabetes, kidney disease, heart illness, etc.), there are many commercial and prescription diets you tin feed to assist manage those conditions.

How to Cull a Senior Dog Food

If y'all and your veterinary make up one's mind that switching to a senior dog food is correct for your dog, choose a senior dog nutrient with the guidelines below and follow the diet transition (switch) guidelines to a higher place according to their abdominal sensitivity.

Guidelines for choosing a senior dog food:

• Look for an AAFCO label stating that the food is consummate and balanced
• Consider staying with the make of nutrient that has worked well in the past
• Consider a formula that includes joint support for arthritis
• Expect for ingredients you feel comfortable feeding
• Observe a senior dog food that fits within your upkeep

Switching to Grain-Free or Raw Domestic dog Food

Some of the trendiest dog food diets on the market place are grain-complimentary diets and raw nutrient diets. There are pros and cons to choosing either one. Before purchasing either, speak to your veterinarian about your intention to switch and then they tin guide you in your pick.

Grain-Complimentary Diet Considerations

Pro : One possible reason for choosing a grain free dog food is a lower incidence of mycotoxins —chemicals created by fungi that tin take negative effects on the trunk when consumed.

Con : Grain-free diets take lost popularity throughout 2019 after an FDA article fabricated a loose connectedness between grain-costless diets and the discovery of a heart condition called dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Unfortunately, we are unsure of the actual cause of the eye condition. This link needs to be investigated further.

Raw Diet Considerations

Pro : Raw diets have superior digestibility to kibble and canned diets, increasing the nutrient absorption past the torso. Notwithstanding, freshly-cooked diets likewise boast superior digestibility and are safer to have in your abode and feed to your pet.

Cons : Remember that "raw" means piddling/no processing has been done to ensure your pet isn't eating bad leaner that can cause intestinal upset. Those bacteria can end up on you lot, your family unit members, and all over your home. Raw diets have been found to exist food scarce and on occasion, accept sharp bone pieces that can do impairment to the mouth or intestines.

Recommended Products For Canine Digestive Wellness

All featured products were chosen at the discretion of the Keen Pet Care editorial team and not directly recommended or endorsed by the author of this article. Great Pet Care may make a modest affiliate commission if you click through and brand a buy.

Despite the all-time of intentions, sometimes changing dog food can crusade digestive upset. Switching your domestic dog's food likewise speedily may result in imbalances in her gastrointestinal flora (bacteria and other microorganisms). Dogs are notorious creatures of habit, and then their digestive system may not always concur with a new nutrient.

In order to help you help your pooch transition to a new food like a pro, nosotros've curated five of our favorite products for canine digestive health. Each of these products has been hand-selected for pet parents who are changing their canis familiaris's food. We recommend you lot keep one or more than of these products on hand when making the transition in the upshot your canis familiaris's tummy reacts with a vengeance.

Best Multivitamin with Probiotics

Our pick: Daily Great All-in-One Multivitamin for Dogs

If y'all could requite your canis familiaris one multivitamin to protect her gut when transitioning to a new nutrient, Daily Keen is your best bet. Many pet parents expect until their canis familiaris shows signs of stomach upset to add a probiotic or digestive product to her diet. Daily Nifty targets four things in 1: vitamins and minerals for overall health, omega-3s for healthy skin and glaze, glucosamine and chondroitin for articulation and hip back up, and a probiotic for digestive care.

Highlights

• Give twice a 24-hour interval with meals to back up your canis familiaris's digestive intendance
• Chewable format makes information technology easy to dispense (and dogs go a tasty care for)
• Formulated with practiced bacteria and ingredients to promote healthy digestion
• Can be used daily before, during, and subsequently the new dog food transition
• Made in America with 120 soft chews per container
• Delivers gastric comfort to dogs switching to a new nutrient

Things to Consider

• Give with meals
• Number of chews dispensed depends on the weight of the dog

Best Probiotic With Cobweb

Our Option: Bang-up Poop Full Digestive Back up

Poop happens. When dogs are transitioning over to a new food or dietary switch, the consistency and frequency of their poop may change. Fiber added to your dog'south diet tin help maintain gut residuum only too regulate the bowels and keep their colon good for you, too. Smashing Poop is a fiber supplement that contains the right corporeality of probiotics and digestive enzymes. The result is every dog parent'southward dream: a healthy gut and business firm stool.

Highlights

• Dogs transitioning to a new food may do good from fiber supplementation
• Smashing Poop's balance of proper probiotics promotes intestinal microbial residual
• Aids in digestion and the bacterial surroundings of a dog's gut
• Yummy chicken season in a chewable form
• Prebiotics for colonic health
• Made in the The states

Things to Consider

• Safe for use in dogs over 12 weeks of age
• One season choice
• Number of chews dispensed depends on the weight of the dog

Best Canned Pumpkin For Digestive Health

Our option: Fruitables Switch Pet Food Transition Supplement

Eliminate the fright of switching canis familiaris food past keeping a can of Fruitables Switch on manus. Touted as the "just-right" balance of soluble to insoluble fiber, Switch supports a healthy gut to ensure a smooth transition to your canis familiaris'south new nutrient. We love the transparency of this products, equally its one and only ingredient is pumpkin. Pumpkin is safe for humans and dogs, and the pure pumpkin in Switch contains no additives or preservatives.

Highlights

• Tasty pumpkin base is a flavor most dogs love
• Helps decrease the chance of loose stool or digestive bug when irresolute foods
• Made in the U.s. and developed by a veterinary
• Easily replace 30 percent of your dog's current food with Switch when transitioning
• Can be used after transitioning for a daily fiber addition

Things to Consider

• Unused portion must exist refrigerated after opening and remains fresh upwards to seven days
• Contains 4 calories per tablespoon
• Consult with your domestic dog'south veterinarian outset if your pet has a medical status or takes medication

All-time Anti-Diarrhea Liquid For Dogs

Our pick: Vets Preferred Avant-garde Anti-Diarrheal Liquid Solution

Speedily soothe your domestic dog'southward upset tummy and end diarrhea with Vets Preferred Advanced Anti-Diarrheal Liquid Solution. This veterinarian-formulated liquid is platonic to take on manus in the event of unexpected diarrhea. No one wants to see their dog in pain when dealing with an upset tummy. Provide stomach relief by using this liquid formula via syringe or in your dog's meal. The fast-acting formula is designed to get to piece of work right away.

Highlights

• Tin can be used every 12 hours or as recommended by your dog'southward veterinarian
• Main ingredients are pectin and kaolin for diarrhea relief
• Made in America
• Restores abdominal balance while soothing the gut lining of your dog's stomach
• Helps firm up loose stools
• Can be used mixed with your dog's meal or inserted with a syringe into her mouth

Things to Consider

• Consult a veterinarian for dogs weighing v pounds or less for dosing
• Dosing corporeality differs according to the domestic dog's weight
• Designed to alleviate discomfort in ii to three days. Seek veterinary intendance otherwise.
• Not for use in meaning dogs.

All-time Herbal Digestive Supplement For Dogs

Our option: The Honest Kitchen Perfect Form

Perfect Course is recommended for GI upset while supporting a domestic dog's bowel health. This nutritional supplement is ideal in times of dietary indiscretion or when transitioning to a new nutrition. Made with 100 percent human-course minimally candy whole food ingredients, Honest Kitchen has an outstanding reputation in the pet manufacture. Whether your dog is experiencing soft poops or diarrhea, Perfect Course is a more natural fashion to accost these bug.

Highlights

• Contains no GMOs, feed class ingredients or by-products, fillers, meat meals, or artificial flavors or colors.
• No ingredients from China and no soy, wheat, or corn
• Fabricated in the Us with a proprietary blend of natural ingredients like papaya and slippery elm
• Easy to mix with a small-scale amount of water to create a gel consistency
• Made with dehydrated all-natural human being-grade ingredients

Things to Consider

• Some pets may not savor the aroma or gustatory modality of Perfect Form on their nutrient
• Dosing depends on the weight of your dogs

Switching Dog Food: Concluding Tips

If you choose to switch your dog's food due to a lifestyle change, a recommendation from your veterinary, or a monetary demand, there are some things you lot should keep in mind.

Follow these additional tips when changing your dog's food:

Plan ahead . When a nutrition transition is needed or desired, planning alee is important. Starting a diet transition a 24-hour interval or 2 before going out of boondocks and leaving your domestic dog with a sitter, or before bringing your dog on vacation is asking for trouble.

Accept plenty electric current food . Brand certain yous commencement the transition while you however have enough of the electric current nutrient to final through the whole transition timeline.

Adjust the timeline if needed . If your dog has intestinal upset during a diet transition, start over and try a slower transition. The aforementioned transition speed will likely effect in the same intestinal upset.

Observe your dog during and afterwards the switch . After any diet transition, keep a close heart on your canis familiaris over the next several weeks. If they appear to be losing or gaining weight, modify the amount you are feeding by 5-ten percent and and then watch them again.

Consult your veterinarian with questions . If y'all demand help with your dog'southward daily calorie intake, and how much y'all should feed, give your veterinary a telephone call—they know best.

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Source: https://www.greatpetcare.com/dog-nutrition/switching-dog-food-tips-and-recommendations/

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