Switching our puppy to new kind of food - Page 2

Hmmm, ok interesting thoughts.

I'm going to look into this a bit more, thanks for the advice. I might try a bit of pumpkin in the meantime. I'm not sure I've seen Fromm Gold at my pet store, but I'll look for it the next time I'm in. I agree about Diamond foods, they have had way too many issues for my taste.

I order Fromm Gold from Petflow.com and it's VERY reasonable, shipped right to your door, $4.95 flat rate shipping. 

On the issue of runny stool give a spoonful of pumpkin. Especially helpful if you swithch foods

One approach to soft stool is to assume Giardia and give the 5 days on, 8 or 10 days off, 5 days on of Panacur C.  Three days of treatment is for worms.  Giardia is a LOT tougher than worms and it is everywhere that Geese fly over.  Poop falls from the sky and dogs pick it up on their feet, then lick their feet, or, yuck, eat it.  It also hides from the vet in a fecal float and the antigen test is expensive and many vets say you don't need it, then act surprised when it comes back positive.

If you really shop it, you can get it for a reasonable price.

Since there was a stream and a positive Coccidia test, having Giardia as well is not uncommon.

There are lots of threads on Giardia and effective treatment.  Metronidazole is NOT effective, once you stop giving it, problems return.  Panacur (Fenbendazole) is effective if it is repeated because of the lifecycle of Giardia.

There are many forms of Fenbendazole in different dosages for different animals, like, goat, cows and horses.  Back in the old days before there was Panacur C(anine), I used the tubes of horse paste Fenbendazole, like Safeguard.  Some are stronger and some are weaker.  The dosing is VERY different and dogs don't appreciate the apple flavor in the horse tubes.

I am not a vet so I don't want to go into the dosing.  It is on the internet and in threads on this website.

Good Luck,

Michele, Pharaoh and Mariah

If you are stationed in Germany, you may want to give this food a try.

http://www.platinum-natural.com/

The ca content of most kibble is higher than ideal, a little higher or rather much higher. This is because bones in the meat is ground to bone meal. I believe the AFFCO allows as high as 1.7% for pups, but I prefer lower 1.2%.

The ideal content is about 1% for kibble for pups, 10% moisture basis. This will be about 0.32%  ca on 70% water basis.

The richer the food is in fat and protein, the less you will NEED to feed BUT the more the pup will WANT to eat it.

If you are carefully measuring the amount to feed, then the "WANT" factor will be moot.

I do not see any need for any LB pup food with reduced fat and protein percentage.

High fat and protein allow you to feed LESS so the pup takes in less calcium, for a given ca content.

If you feed 3 cups (about 300 grams) of a food 30/20% in protein and fat (rather rich) with 1.5% calcium, the total ca intake is 4.5 grams.

If you feed 4 cups of food with 25% protein and 15% fat with 1.3% ca, the total ca intake is 5.2 grams.


Last, natural dog food is very high in protein and fats when considered in 10% moisture basis (easily 60% protein 30 percent fat) , as opposed to 70% water basis. 

Even the richest kibble CANNOT be unnaturally high in fats and protein; it is unusally high in Availability if the owner allows.