Changing food - what are the best ways to do it?

luigisayshello

So, my Napo has is digestion very unregular, because of the incompetence of the veterenary but we found a posible solution. The solution found was fortiflora (it works with him) and changing the dry-food from TOTW to ACANA free grain High Praire, for 1) more meat 2) More digestible protein (chicken) 3) More healthier in the whole. So I already had done some transitions, but they weren't perfect.

My question is, what are some "tactics" on changing food? Should I starve him for a day, should I exchange gradually (this will make the food even worst to digest, as he will be digesting at least 7-10 different sources of protein? Should I just exchange it from 100% TOTW to 100% Acana, as he will have the help of fortiflora (probiotics)? Will it make difference if I feed him boiled chicken and rice (our solution when he is very bad)?

Give me your ways and your results on this.

Thank you all!

luigisayshello

P.S. I'm giving him food 5 times a day, but very little quantities at a time, so I want to change this to 2 times, maximum 3 times a day.

philsergeant

Add 25% of the new food to the old, enough for 3 days. Then add 50%, 3 more days. Then add 75% new... 3 more days then 100% on the new.  But don't rely on kibble only... once he is completely on the quality food, start to add (slowly) veggies, raw egg, raw meat, cooked chicken liver, etc.... See what he likes....but slowly make those part of his diet over 3 or 4 months... also slowly, over 2 months, reduce his meals to twice a day.  Add probiotics, salmon oil, oreganum,... all slowly.

Seon

When I brought Raider home I mixed 80% of his Purina kibble to 20% of TOTW for the 1st couple of days. His stool was a little soft but not runny so I waited until it hardened some, then increased the TOTW ratio to 50/50.  After a  couple of weeks went to 100% TOTW.
He's a mini so I feed him 1/2 cup three times a day

luigisayshello

Add 25% of the new food to the old, enough for 3 days. Then add 50%, 3 more days. Then add 75% new... 3 more days then 100% on the new.  But don't rely on kibble only... once he is completely on the quality food, start to add (slowly) veggies, raw egg, raw meat, cooked chicken liver, etc.... See what he likes....but slowly make those part of his diet over 3 or 4 months... also slowly, over 2 months, reduce his meals to twice a day.  Add probiotics, salmon oil, oreganum,... all slowly.

He doesn't do good on raw anything. Veggies destroy him, raw meat has to be mashed, raw eggs destroy his balance even more. He has a fragile digestion (caused by the over use of anti-biotics), so only mashed meat and boiled meat are options + olive oil and tuna in can preserved with olive oil (no salt).

As for the veggies, there are some that I didn't try, and I could do a BARF meal at lunch for him, so what are the most nutritive ones? Oreganos are probiotics? I tried to find probiotic natural foods, but I din't find any, only yogurt, but he doesn't do good with it. As for the dates of feeding him probiotics, I will have to add probiotics the day I recive them (fortiflora), because he is in a very bad shape (digestion).

philsergeant

I can understand that his digestive system could be screwed up due to eating TOTW... I never had much joy with that brand either. I can also understand that having had too many antibiotics at one stage his system could be hyper-reactive to just about anything.... But I must believe that once you have him stabilized on a quality food you should be able to add the other benefits... he can't be continuously dysfunctional becaise of a bad start.... let's get him on 100% GF Acana first.

luigisayshello

He was actually doing good on TOTW, the only problem is that the protein is so complex to digest that if he swallows something other than food, or something that he can't digest that well, his whole digestion will be screwed for a month, because of a tiny little thing.
My prayers are on acana + the probiotic (fortiflora) to help once and for all to stabilize his digestion and to not let little things screw so much his entire digestion!

I will look, again, at barf after he is doing well on the daily basis.

Quinnofhearts

You mentioned him having trouble digesting proteins...Acana has a line of limited ingredient diets that have single source proteins. These foods will just have duck, or only lamb, and it won't have the cocktail of proteins other foods have (chicken, duck, fish etc). However, I am not sure if the limited ingredient diets are grain free. (Are lentils a grain? X_X ) Perhaps that line could be an option for you?

philsergeant

Lentils are a legume, like peas, beans and peanuts

luigisayshello

You mentioned him having trouble digesting proteins...Acana has a line of limited ingredient diets that have single source proteins. These foods will just have duck, or only lamb, and it won't have the cocktail of proteins other foods have (chicken, duck, fish etc). However, I am not sure if the limited ingredient diets are grain free. (Are lentils a grain? X_X ) Perhaps that line could be an option for you?

The Acana High Praire has fish (a little bit, and he needs) and chicken, as protein sources, I will try, the probiotics will make sure that he digests everything, he does very good with this probiotic and I'm confident that with a normal change he will do fine.

Another question, should I give probiotics everyday for a long period of time or should/could use them only when his poop is softer?

Kenosmom

We just changed Keno over to Darwin's on 12/24/15. Should we be mixing it with kibble? I realize it's a transition but he had diarrhea tonight so I'm thinking we need to go a little slower?

philsergeant

Yes. Any change in food, even if it's from one Kibble brand to another, should be done gradually. When adding raw the same applies. I wouldn't recommend a completely raw diet, although some do. But if you are changing to 50/50 raw/ kibble I'd only do it at 10% every 2/ 3 days... in other words, get to 50/50 in about 2 weeks. Otherwise you will surely be using the wet-vac instead of poop bags.