Large-Breed Puppy With Colitis: Can He Switch From a Prescription Diet?
by Sue
(Westwood MA)
My dog is now 7 months old and weighs about 115 pounds..He seeems healthy and weighs about 114-115 pounds at last check. He has frequent stools, but they are well-formed. He seems to be doing well with this food, but for a large breed puppy, the cost of this food can become prohibitive. The food also is very low in protein, hence the boiled chicken and cheese to supplement it. I have been wondering if it would be possible to slowly , over weeks, switch him to a high quality puppy food and add oat bran to his food to increase the fiber rating of the high quality puppy food. I don't want to shock is digestive system, but if it would be OK to try something like this, I would
If I consulted with my vet about this, is it possible that as he gets older he would be able to go back to conventional food with the added oatbran? This DCO food costs $47 for 18 pounds, and that doesn't last long with a Saint Bernard puppy!!!!!! Is it reasonable to bring this up with my vet???
It's very reasonable to ask your vet about this. Many dogs with chronic colitis improve on a highly digestible diet with added soluble fiber, and in one study some dogs were later able to stop the fiber or move to a regular diet without signs returning.
For a giant-breed puppy, the most important thing is that any new food is a complete diet made for large-breed puppies, because the balance of calcium and calories matters for healthy bone growth. Adding a lot of extra chicken or cheese can unbalance a diet, so ask your vet or a veterinary nutritionist how to make the change. Switch slowly over a couple of weeks, add fiber in the amount your vet suggests, and go back a step if his stools loosen.
See colitis in dogs.
This is general information, not a diagnosis. Please follow your own vet's advice.
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