Upset Stomach In Middle Of Food Transition

[Guest itsagreytlife]

I know there has to be some thread out there that covers this, but none of my searches came up with anything. The good news is that Selah is finished (FINALLY) with her Z/D food trial. I started her first with chicken, boneless raw and she was good to go with that. Then I SLOWLY started her on Verus Chick & Rice kibble. I am taking instructions from her dermatologist (she has tons of environmental allergies & is getting weekly shots) regarding the food thing and since she has done so well (no itchies, licking, scratching) the dermatologist is certain food allergies are NOT a problem with Selah. It makes sense, because for the better part of the year the stuff I was feeding her (kibble/treats/peanut butter, etc.) did not seem to cause any outside allergic reaction. So that is the GREAT news!

 

The issue now is this: I started her on the Verus Chicken & Rice a week ago, like I said very slowly. Just this past Monday I started giving her 1/2 Verus and 1/2 Z/D--so you can see how slow I am going. All week (today is Wed) she has done just fine. Had a couple of toots the first day or so, but nothing strong. So great, right? Well, yesterday after our walk she let a couple stinkers fly (really bad) and a couple more last night. Then this a.m. she got up to go outside and stayed out there forever (usually she runs right back in for her breakfast). I went to check on her and she was eating fountain grass. I know she did this at least once several wks ago since I saw her poop out a spear of it. She then kept wandering around and finally barfed 2 separate times, lots of yellow stuff. She came back in with a really loud gurgling stomach.

 

All morning she has been in and out with that loud stomach (she is so good not to do anything inside). I did not feed her any kibble and my great hubby went out to get her some Pepcid. I tried to give her cooked rice with some chicken broth but she wouldn't eat it (a first for this little piggy!). I gave her a Pepcid and she still kept needing to go out & still had gurgly stomach. Finally I cooked up some hamburger, mixed it with some of the rice and she ate all of that. Now she is finally sleeping and just gurgling a little bit.

 

Am I to assume this upset tummy is due to the food transition? I've always suspected she has a sensitive stomach. When she got on the Z/D she started having slightly soft poops with a bit of mucus. I suspected irritated colon/stomach but our regular vet discarded that idea for worms (fecal sample was clear--he thinks it was not hook but maybe whip--can't remember) so I gave her two rounds of Panacur 3 weeks apart. I have always been fairly good about checking for worms (fecals) and doing a round of Panacur every 3 months. No difference. Prior to the Z/D she was on Taste of the Wild Pacific Salmon, but of course my bag was on the recall list, so I had to find something else when it was time for her to change to normal kibble. Hence the Verus. Why would she have stomach issues after a week of no problems on the new food? Especially since she's had two days of half-n-half? And what should I do now, kibble-wise? Stop the Verus Chick and find another one? Should I try the Iams green bag or some other food for sensitive stomachs?

 

I know this is not an allergic reaction, but a sensitivity (if it is from the food), which are two different things. What should I do short term & long term? (and of course I was planning on going on an overnighter Friday nite...sigh). Last time I tried to go out of town she got that horrible skin infection (which is almost cleared up!) and I had to cancel. This is ridiculous!

 

Thanks for any help.

[Batmom]

I'd probably back off the Verus for now and give her just Z/D for 5-7 days. Everything OK? Start up the Verus again, half and half, and see how she does over 3-5 days. If she starts having problems again, then probably is the food and you'll want to try a different one.

[Guest itsagreytlife]

Thanks for your input, Batmom! Just the person I was hoping to hear from. She woke up this a.m. (Thurs) and threw up again and again...gave her a pepcid and she seems better--no more gurgly. (After her pepcid & rice/burger breakfast yesterday, she was fine all day though--why again in the a.m. I wonder?). I will give her more rice/hamburger today. Hopefully today will be it. I was thinking the same thing about going back to the z/d, but so good to hear your thoughts!

 

Thanks again.