Problems with Blue Buffalo?

[MtyMax]

Anyone having problems with Blue Buffalo? I have a sick pup at home with lots of diarrhea. She has gotten boiled chicken and rice since Monday night and her stools are hardening. So today I reintroduced a little bit of Blue Buffalo chicken and rice soaked in a bit of water and a bit of boiled chicken and rice on top. We are back to having the squirts:no:.

This dog has had a lot of skin issues and one previous bout of diarrhea when she got into an unopened bag of the Blue Buffalo (we were switching from Purina 1 to Blue Buffalo). The vet thinks the skin issues are environmental and not dietary though. She has consistently eaten the Blue Buffalo for 2-3 months now.

I have not had blood work drawn yet, but that may be happening if I don’t get good poo.

So…now what?

[Bluey]

Blue Buffalo feeds have a very, very strong marketing presence.
I have heard in the last couple of weeks, but can’t confirm, so have not posted about it, that there are some cases of liver trouble showing up on dogs that have been on Blue Buffalo for a while now.
My dog was on it, had some licking from allergies, so we put her on an allergy food and she is doing better now, but are still adjusting for amount.
She is gaining weight now very rapidly and was not skinny to start with.:eek:

I don’t know if there is anything definitive about the liver troubles on BB, but that is the word going around some in dog circles.
Unless someone can confirm that, it is just one more rumor.

As far as dogs have digestive troubles, that is very, very, very, did I say, very common, is the nature of dogs, because of what all goes in their mouth.
That is called garbage gut.

Now, if your dog keeps that up, ask your vet if it would be appropriate to rule whatever he may be able to with blood work.:yes:

[BrindleColt]

I was feeding Wellness, which is a very high quality food like Blue Buffalo, to my sheppard when he was a pup and he had the same problem, my vet said some dogs just have a hard time digesting the high quality foods and can end up with diarrhea. My mom’s dog had the same problem with the Wellness, he is now on California Natural Lamb & Rice and my guy is on the Chicken Soup for Large Breeds and they are both doing much better. So a less ‘high quality’ food might work for your dog, my vet said to keep trying different brands until I find one that works.

What can also help alot is pumpin, the kind you buy from the store for pumpkin pie Without the seasoning (just the mushed up pumpkin). It works to regulate them both ways, for diarrhea and constipation. It works very well on my mom’s dog… I cannot find it without seasoning where I am though.

Also, re: liver damage, I have not heard anything about Blue Buffalo specifically, but I have heard that some of the high quality/high protein dog foods can cause liver damage in less active breeds/dogs with slower metabolism.

[rmh_rider]

I have been using BB for a little over 1 year.

No issues.

My itchy dog is still itchy. It is a seasonal itch. She is on hydrazine.

Both dogs look very good. Hey, all Toy Manchester Terriers look good imo.

I feed pink bag, small adult bites.

[LuvMyperch]

rmh_rider…did you mean to say Hydroxyzinen? If so Im wondering how it works for the itching. Ive used benadryl and claritin but neither seems to work very well.

[MtyMax]

We’re going to introduce a small amount of Purina 1 tomorrow. Tonight was more rice and boiled chicken with extra water added in. Purina 1 only because that it was she was on when I got her a few months ago and did not seem to have all of these problems. Katie hasn’t gained weight on the Blue Buffalo and she was getting nearly 3 cups per day (40lb dog).

I’m a little intrigued by the pumpkin…I love the stuff and tend to hoard it this time of year:D

Any other dog food recomendations?

Thanks!

[Bluey]

[QUOTE=MtyMax;5867347]
We’re going to introduce a small amount of Purina 1 tomorrow. Tonight was more rice and boiled chicken with extra water added in. Purina 1 only because that it was she was on when I got her a few months ago and did not seem to have all of these problems. Katie hasn’t gained weight on the Blue Buffalo and she was getting nearly 3 cups per day (40lb dog).

I’m a little intrigued by the pumpkin…I love the stuff and tend to hoard it this time of year:D

Any other dog food recomendations?

Thanks![/QUOTE]

No, no recommendations on dog food, because there are so many kinds out there, you really have to keep trying until you find what agrees with your dog best.

If your dog keeps having issues, you may want to check further, for giardia and other possible problems that won’t get better easily without medication.

Pumpkin is a very good way to add fiber and most dogs think it is a treat.
My dog loves a hint of cinnamon in hers.

[summerhorse]

I hope your dog gets better. My dogs get nature’s recipe I think it is called. I tried a couple of others but they didn’t agree with them. The cats tried wellness and wilderness and it was too rich for them but they do well on blue buffalo except for STINKY poo! They were doing OK on Science diet but it started getting super greasy and I had a horrendous outbreak of feline acne. It was a nightmare but it went away when I switched.

[Roxyllsk]

This is the time of year to stock up on the canned pumpkin - its’ a seasonal item so you can’t always find it after Christmas.

I usually buy a case when it’s avaible - I make pumpkin bread, pumpkin pie, etc, and feed it to the dogs too. They love it !

My old dog has a very sensitive tummy - I’ve tried so many different foods with him (incl some from the vet) and the only thing that works for him is boiled hamburger, white rice, and veggies. I give him a multivitamin too.

I was giving this to both dogs, but I am trying to switch the younger one to Blue Buffalo - he is having some issues but I’m not sure it’s from the BB.

[Bacardi1]

I don’t know about Blue Buffalo for dogs, but Blue Buffalo for cats had everyone yakking for weeks, even though it was introduced gradually. Never again.

[good_booie]

Blue Buffalo gave my dog terrible gas. heck, he even farted while eating it. LOL! Purina 1 is their fave but I found a new food called Lassie. I know, the name is silly but it rates supper high on the nutrition scale. Actually sored past Purina 1. Chicken is the first ingredient and nothing artificial. Worth a try if you are looking to change food.

[Bacardi1]

I’ve been feeding Nutro Lamb & Rice dry dog food for 2 decades now, with nothing but excellent results. Dogs (from Dobies down to terriers) have had fabulous shiny coats (even a blue Dobie within reason), & have lived long wonderful lives (all in mid to late teens). Will never switch foods - this stuff is terrific.

[Kryswyn]

My adult dogs have been on Science Diet Original & Small Bites since 1995. From time to time I’ve experimented with other brands and keep coming back to Science Diet. My puppy is on Blue Buffalo Basic Puppy for a week now (switched from the Purina One small bites fed by her breeder and so far tiny not stinky poops and no digestive ills at either end. I’ll probably switch her @ 6 months to Science Diet for convenience.

[RedMare01]

Look at the ingredient list of Science Diet. The first is corn. Not saying animals can’t be healthy on it, but you might as well buy a food that costs 1/5 the price (that has the same low quality ingredients). If you’re going to pay $$ for food, you should a least get the quality that you’re paying for, instead of marketing.

[Bluey]

[QUOTE=RedMare01;5868762]
Look at the ingredient list of Science Diet. The first is corn. Not saying animals can’t be healthy on it, but you might as well buy a food that costs 1/5 the price (that has the same low quality ingredients). If you’re going to pay $$ for food, you should a least get the quality that you’re paying for, instead of marketing.[/QUOTE]

Science Diet was the first serious dog food, with studies behind it, some 40+ years ago.
Our dogs, those of our dog club members and so many others did fine on that food.

The marketing of food started after that, to the over the top marketing we have today.
Much of it is a bit exaggerated, as the virtually millions of healthy dogs for decades can attest to.

If a dog does well on some kind of food, then that is the best kind for that dog, according to one of our dog club members, that happen to be a veterinarian and specialist in nutrition.

Don’t dismiss any one dog food because the label doesn’t agree with internet wisdom, or insist on feeding some top rated food when your dog is not doing well on it.

By the way, in our dog club, we tend not to get into dog food discussions, as many of us have been at this for several decades and many dogs and no one can agree what is best, there is no best, let how YOUr dog does guide what you feed it.

[Kryswyn]

[QUOTE=RedMare01;5868762]
Look at the ingredient list of Science Diet. The first is corn. Not saying animals can’t be healthy on it, but you might as well buy a food that costs 1/5 the price (that has the same low quality ingredients). If you’re going to pay $$ for food, you should a least get the quality that you’re paying for, instead of marketing.[/QUOTE]

The first ingredient of the Adult Original Small Bits is CHICKEN, followed by GROUND corn. You are correct that many of the other Science Diet foods is ground corn. That is why I feed the ORIGINAL. I’m not a novice when it comes to feeding dogs; for a brief time I worked in a feed store and could quote the first few ingredients of all the high end brands.

I also have over 16 years of history with this brand of food, and my dogs have done well on it, better than on the ‘better’ foods out there. Believe me, I see through marketing. Beneful ads nauseate me and I can’t believe people fall for it, but they do.

[Hampton_Bay]

The Blue Buffalo grain free is pretty different from the regular stuff, but I’ve had a ton of luck with the grain free on my two dogs with some pretty significant digestive issues.

One of mine did have soft poop on Innova puppy food though. Some of the high-end foods just don’t agree with some dogs.

[MtyMax]

Well, I just bought a bag of Purina one sensitive skin and stomach. It STINKS:lol: So far so good, I just hope that the dog doesn’t start to smell like her food!

[candysgirl]

My friend/dog’s breeder/vet tech said, very specifically, I am NOT to feed my puppy Blue Buffalo because the protein content is too high and they see a lot of liver issues.

[lightlee]

Both of my adult dogs (Dobe and a Chihuahua) became very sick when they were on BB even though were slowly introduced to it. They both ended up antibotics. BB is way too high in protein for their systems.

I have have good luck feeding them Science Diet Sensitive Stomach, Nutro Lamb and Rice, Purina Pro Plan Salmon, Purina One and Canidae Lamb Rice. I can switch between these foods with no digestive upset in my dogs, which is nice, in case I can’t get particular brand or just to give my dogs variety in their diet. I would think it would be boring eating the same food all the time!