Advice re stomach issues

[Theotherone234]

We have a 2yo springer. He's had stomach problems since we got him and the pain makes him very grumpy. If he eats something that doesn't agree with him he gets very barky, hyperactive, on edge, misbehaves.

We have identified so many foods that we need to avoid: rice, chicken, lamb, beef, venison, potato, sweet potato, grains.

Which is fine. We eventually chose to go raw because so much manufactured food contains sweet potato or brewer's yeast.

We also give him daily pro/pre biotics.

I asked the vet if there was any way of identifying why he has such stomach issues or if there was some kind of dietary specialist we could consult. She said to just avoid the food.

But I worry that he has a health issue that could be fixed. His pain has made him into a nervous and reactive dog. I want him to be pain free but there's always something he eats that gives him issues (like when they changed the formula of his 'safe' treats)

So I thought I'd ask the hive if anyone has any experience or knowledge of what could be causing his issues and/or an organisation that could help 🙏

I would start with a food allergy test and go from there.

Has he been tested for pancreatitis?

We've done that hence the 'list', but it doesn't help make sense of why he's intolerant of so many foods 😒

This is what I wondered. My now sadly departed dog had constant stomach issues which were alleviated a bit by going to gluten free dry food and then to Butternut Box, and then he became prone to pancreatitis and moved to their low fat options which worked very well.

No the vet doesn't seem to think he has a problem 😒. I've looked at the symptoms though and it doesn't seem likely. No vomiting. No lethargy. In fact he's only vomited twice since we've had him. Once was sea water. So not a sickly dog in that sense.

He's always had a poor appetite but since starting the p-biotics his appetite has greatly increased.

His weight is perfect.

He has 5 or 6 poos a day, all normal unless his tummy is bad, but even then not loose like they were before we changed his diet. I think at his age it should be 2 or 3 per day.

Really just trying to find a specialist who can investigate. Surely there are doggy dieticians who do tests etc...

It’s often genetic. It can be carried in some lines.

Do you know how his littermates are? Have you spoken to his breeder about it?

Yes and I'm in touch with 3 siblings, none have any issues except the girl the breeder kept. She had an allergic reaction to her 2nd vaccination but nothing since. Sire and dam no issues either.

Sometimes it's just bad luck and there's no real explanation for it - a bit like when some kids have awful exczema or allergies but their siblings are absolutely fine.

Yep I think it is bad luck. I don't think we can 'cure' him as such, but I'd really like to get him some kind of digestion check so we can be sure he hasn't got any underlying issues.

I know there's a way of using a fecal 'tablet' (they've tried it with humans who have IBS etc) and this is the kind of thing I'd like to explore. Trouble is I don't know how 😒

Can you ask the vet to put him on a prescription kibble diet? Our puppy has had diarrhoea ever since we brought him home and this completely resolved his stomach issues. I can only use it temporarily to figure out his food allergies as he is a puppy, but it is nutritionally balanced for adult dogs.

Most manufactured food has sweet potato or brewer's yeast in it. Or salmon oil (salmon also on his list). I have looked at loads of different ones. He can only tolerate pork, duck, turkey and small amounts of rabbit. He can have carrot, peas and pumpkin without ill effect.

Hope you get to the bottom of your pup's issues (pardon the pun). I'd start with chicken as the culprit. And rice (grain).