Hi All,
I am new here and there is a lot to read through. Two of my dogs are wheat gluten intolerant so are on GF foods. One has bouts of loose stools. He has lost 5-6kg in the last couple of months and I am at a loss as how to get him to put weight on. If I increase the amount of food he has he gets the squits even more. He has kibble with raw tripe in. Can anyone suggest a way to help him put on weight.
Hello and welcome to the forum. Please can you tell us what breed your dog is and his weight? Also, which brand of kibble you are using? Have you had any investigations done by your vet and if so, do you have a diagnosis?
Pyrenean, dropped from 51kg - 44.8kg. Husse ProKykkling, Vet checks no Giardi etc., Just a “gentle soul” who is affected by routine change apparently. 
I am looking towards salmon and potato or duck and sweet potato foods
With intolerances and digestive problem it is probably best to feed as plain a diet as possible. I think it might be useful not to mix food so although tripe is good, unless you are going to feed all raw maybe stop it for now. Fish is usually easily digested so might be a good option. There are quite a few fish/potato varieties on the market and if you need help to source one using the Dog Food Directory, please ask.
The other option to consider is one of the cold pressed grain free products. They are often useful for dogs who have digestive problems. There aren’t many - most have brown rice. Two that spring to mind are Lukullus Barbary Duck and Guru Full on Feast but there maybe one of two more. If you are interested, have a look at this thread and at the individual reviews on the Dog Food Directory.
It might also be helpful to improve the gut flora by supplementing with a good, Canine specific pre and probiotic preparation. There are a number of these on the market, including Pooch and Mutt Bionic Biotic.
Please keep a watch on your thread as there might be more, and useful replies. Also, please would you let us know what you decide on?
Thank you for your advice. I have tried YuDigest which helps when he is particularly loose also Fortiflora but I think that has changed since it originally came out. I am looking at Husse Oceana fish diet. His sister has a cast iron constitution which is what makes him so frustrating.
Have had a look at the Lukullus on the food directory and will try to source some.
Thank you
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I don’t know anything about the Husse food that you mention but having just checked, I see it is high in protein, fat and calories so might add weight on your dog. It seems a decent choice as long as he can tolerate it.
Wonder if it would be advisable to give the pre/probiotic regularly for a while?
Cold pressed food is reputed to be good for dogs with digestive problems - there are a few videos on YouTube about digestibility of this type of food - link. Lukullus is on Zooplus and there are plenty of reviews. Guru website is here.
Thank you both for some very useful, and thought provoking, advice. I have found a supplier for Lukullus (hopefully) and will wait for my Husse supplier to come back from holiday and see if he will do me a sample bag. I will let you know how things go. Thank you again
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It is not uncommon for some dogs to have episodes of loose stools when fed a high protein diet. We don’t know what is causing the problem with your dog but in view of the weight loss the temptation is to use a higher fat/protein food to put the weight back on. However, it might be prudent to keep both of these in the moderate range for now.
The RDA for cold pressed food is 1% to 1.2% of body weight but some dogs might need a little more. If you go with Lukullus I would advise starting at the top figure but introduce it very gradually. There is a useful guide to transitioning on the Guru Pet Food website. They recommend up to two weeks and as your dog does not like change, this might be necessary. The food must be weighed properly because it is dense and you will need less in quantity compared to kibble.
Good evening folks,
Just thought I would keep you updated with my boys progress. I finally gave in and took him to my wonderful vet, He was put on Metranidazole for 10 days and his diet changed to Duck and potato and I am pleased to say he is slowly gaining weight (2kg in 4weeks) and I am clearing up “normal” stools from him - a first in a long time. He actually seems happier in himself.
Thank you all for your suggestions and advice.
Babs
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Thank you very much for the update - it is most helpful. I have used Metronidazole a lot in the past and found it to be very useful in clearing up colitis. I hope that your dog continues to do well and has no further problems with his bowels.
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That is good news. Long may it continue. Thank you for the update
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