HealthWise Lamb Meal and Oatmeal Food

[rottnelmo]

My vet has recommended that I switch off of California Natural Chicken and Rice to HealthWise Lamb Meal and Oatmeal because of his loose stools and seeming intolerance to Cal. Natural.

Anyone feed this food or anyone have any thoughts on it?

THANKS!
Beth

[Bruce Lanthier]

Maybe it is an ingredient in both and the switch wouldn't help? I think I would wait and let them check the stool sample first and then it may be a case of finding out if it is even a food allergy. Just guessing that it may, or may not, be the food doesn't seem like the way to go. If there is nothing in the stool why not check for a food allergy?

[animalhouse]

I just switched my dogs to Healthwise Chicken Meal and Oatmeal from Wellness and they are doing very well. It seems to be very easily digestible!

[rottnelmo]

Originally Posted by Bruce Lanthier

Maybe it is an ingredient in both and the switch wouldn't help? I think I would wait and let them check the stool sample first and then it may be a case of finding out if it is even a food allergy. Just guessing that it may, or may not, be the food doesn't seem like the way to go. If there is nothing in the stool why not check for a food allergy?

The stool sample came back negative. What is happening to briefly describe it is this:

Elmo had an issue with throwing up and bloody runny stools about three weeks ago now. He was in severe intestinal distress. IV fluids, Steriods and a strong anti-biotic later...he was doing well. Started the day after he came home from the vets on Friday afternoon, we started him on Rice and Beef...a week went by his stools were very nice and firm. Then started adding back in his kibble (Cal. Natural) went a week tappering off the rice and beef, adding more kibble. As soon as we went to straight kibble, his stools would go runny. So, I would go back to the rice and beef, starting over...tried this three times. Everytime we go back to straight kibble, we get runny watery stools.

So, yes...we checked a stool sample, came back negative. So, the first step we are going to try is to change his kibble to a different brand with different ingredients. I have had a RAST test done and know what his allergies are...so we are thinking Cal. Natural is just too rich and we should try a food switch.

[Bruce Lanthier]

To rich in what way? Too many ingredients? too much fat? Too much protein? I have no problem with switching food but what is the switch for? Just to switch just because doesn't sound like much of a plan. Has there been a comparison of ingredients to even see if the "richness" is any different?

[animalhouse]

California Natural is about the least rich food you can get. It has very few ingredients. That is usually the food people switch to to help with allergies. Healthwise has a few more ingredients than Cal Nat. You can go on their webiste naturapet.com and compare the ingredients to see if there are any in common

[frontierrots]

I would switch to the Healthwise chicken and oatmeal first. Switching grain and protein source at the same time is bound to cause nasty stool

Youare sure that you are not simply feeding too much cal Nat?

Lots of dogs have sloppy stool on lamb so before switching to that protein I would give it some thought

When switching food I always do it cold turkey, no mixing. Mixing seems to cause more diarrhea. First day on new food I feed 1/2 cup am & pm, Second day 1 cup am and 1/2 cup pm, third day 1 cup am & pm and so on til I get to 1/2 cup below what their norm is. I stay at that level a week unless they start to drop weight. If they hold weight or gain then I adjust or not adjust from there

We feed The Healthwise chicken & oatmeal after failing on Innova and Cal nat Chicken and have no problems at all

But remember not all foods or protein sources work for all dogs

[rottnelmo]

Originally Posted by Bruce Lanthier

To rich in what way? Too many ingredients? too much fat? Too much protein? I have no problem with switching food but what is the switch for? Just to switch just because doesn't sound like much of a plan. Has there been a comparison of ingredients to even see if the "richness" is any different?

We are switching because there is a seeming intolerance to Cal Nat. Chicken and Rice. Dont think it is the chicken, it could be the rice. She wants me to switch the starch source and protein source at the same time. We were going to go to HealthWise Chicken and Oatmeal, but it has brown rice, so we wanted to switch the starch.

Yes, Cal Nat is very clean...but there seems to be something in this food that he has developed an intolerance too. There have been a few members here also that have said that once their dogs had horrible bouts with diaherrha (sp) they were unable to return to cal nat. I am NOT basing my decision on that, I am basing my decision on the fact that every time I try to go back to cal nat the stools become loose and runny. So, by deduction it MUST be the food. I had a blood panel run today and checked a belly x-ray again (JUST to be safe) all came back normal. I am having the RAST test run AGAIN to see if he has suddenly developed an allergy to either Rice or Chicken. Could be that he can no longer tolerate either of them.

[rottnelmo]

Originally Posted by frontierrots

I would switch to the Healthwise chicken and oatmeal first. Switching grain and protein source at the same time is bound to cause nasty stool

Youare sure that you are not simply feeding too much cal Nat?

Lots of dogs have sloppy stool on lamb so before switching to that protein I would give it some thought

When switching food I always do it cold turkey, no mixing. Mixing seems to cause more diarrhea. First day on new food I feed 1/2 cup am & pm, Second day 1 cup am and 1/2 cup pm, third day 1 cup am & pm and so on til I get to 1/2 cup below what their norm is. I stay at that level a week unless they start to drop weight. If they hold weight or gain then I adjust or not adjust from there

We feed The Healthwise chicken & oatmeal after failing on Innova and Cal nat Chicken and have no problems at all

But remember not all foods or protein sources work for all dogs

I had spoken to my vet regarding that, but decided to switch the lamb and oatmeal, because it has chicken meal as well and because the lamb in processed kibbles is not as fatty as raw lamb, so most dogs handle it fine. (hoping that is the case with Elmo)

No, I am not feeding too much cal nat. I am only feeding 1 3/4 cups morning and night. He does very well on that maintains his weight nicely. If I go to 2 cups am & pm, he gains...if I go to 1.5 am & pm he looses. Found his balance with Cal nat.

Yup, you gave me the exact same advice as my vet. To switch cold and build up slowly. I am also adding in an enzyme and changing his pro-biotic.

THANKS for all the help!

[BostonRott]

Originally Posted by animalhouse

I just switched my dogs to Healthwise Chicken Meal and Oatmeal from Wellness and they are doing very well. It seems to be very easily digestible!

I'm feeding this same formula (they do also get raw diet.....I alternate between the two), and the dogs are doing wonderfully on it. No gas, no bad breath, small piles to pick up.

[animalhouse]

Originally Posted by BostonRott

small piles to pick up.

You're not kidding about that!!! I've noticed a huge decrease in their "output"