Picky eater dog with a sensitive stomach

[blob99]

My dog has a sensitive stomach and a lot of dog foods can upset it. Unfortunately, she’s ALSO a picky eater and will go on hunger strike if she doesn’t like food or if she gets the same kind of food too often.

So, looking for suggestions for wet food that is tummy friendly and also has been successful with other picky dogs. Right now we’ve had the most luck with Instinct Limited Ingredient, but if she gets it too many days in a row she goes off of it. So, I’m hoping to find another kind or two that i can alternate with.

[stargzng386]

My dog was like this for the first 4 years of her life and it was chronic pancreatitis caused by too high of a fat level in pretty much all normal foods. The vet put her on a prescription low fat food and she’s been cleaning her bowl ever since, 5 years now. I was so upset at myself for just thinking she was picky for years it took a move and a new vet to suggest more testing to figure it out.

[Simkie]

Are you treating her sensitive stomach at all? Rather than continually playing food roulette, addressing why her belly is ouchy is a better way to go.

The pancreatitis suggestion is a good one. But if it’s just some general gastritis, famotidine can be awfully helpful.

[blob99]

She has actually been tested for pancreatitis at the vet’s suggestion. And she is on daily medication for her sensitive stomach. Right now the upset stomach is being managed well (meaning, none of the food she’s been getting has been setting it off), but all the more reason I’d rather not try a million different foods to find one she likes because i suspect it will upset her delicate system.

[Simkie]

That she’s only willing to eat something for a couple days is indicative that her belly is still bothering her–sounds like not enough to show big symptoms, but inappetence is still a symptom.

Canidae & Wellness both make a limited ingredient line that might be worth checking out. It’s a shame that California Natural got axed by P&G after they bought Natura Pet.

[blob99]

Yes very much agree that she’s telling us that the food she’s getting isn’t right.

I will try canidae and wellness–thank you!

[Weezer]

Oh man, I feel your pain. I had a dog like that and it was a constant struggle to find food that she would eat. I remember the first time I went to buy dog food after she died. I started sobbing in the middle of the dog food aisle when I realized I could buy anything since she was gone.

But what worked really well for her was adding a bit of fish oil or ground beef as a topper. I still alternate between those two toppers and a product called “magical dinner dust”. Rotating toppers seemed to keep my picky eater happy and gave her the variety she craved. Good luck!

[Iride]

So many dogs are sensitive to chicken, a common allergen… just mentioning in case that’s part of what you feed, if so remove it completely and see if it helps!

Also some dogs are prone to ulcers just like horses. You can try some ulcer meds too in case it helps.

[BackHomeFarm]

My ACD has a sensitive stomach and is also very picky. I tried all kinds of foods, but finally stuck with Science Diet Healthy Weight. The increased fiber helped his tum-tum and he likes the taste. He’s been on it for probably 2 or 3 years now and he still licks his bowl clean after breakfast and dinner!

[MDMom]

I’ve been playing food roulette with my senior dog after the manufacturer stopped making the food she liked. I finally hit on one that seems to be working for her sensitive stomach, Purina Pro Plan Adult 7+ Shredded Chicken and Rice. She actually gets excited about meal time now. I’ve actually had better luck with ProPlan foods than most other brands with new rescue dogs…