Dealing with a potential food allergy

[sebastian_flores]

We'll be visiting our vet this week, but in the meantime I'm wondering if anyone has theories / suggestions / similar experiences. This all started with my dog throwing up blood a few weeks ago, and I think I've now narrowed the cause down to her kibble.

Mid-July

• Began Prednisone for suspected chronic bronchitis (she's had a cough since before we adopted her last year – I think this is unrelated to the current situation).

August 7

• Vomit around 9pm
• 2x bloody vomit around midnight, 3x bloody vomit around 2am
• Went to emergency vet, they couldn't find anything wrong – we went home with meds.

August 9

• Started to have diarrhea, followed up with regular vet – they gave us probiotics
• No other symptoms – believed the bloody vomit was just the result of irritation / inflammation
• Changed to chicken and rice diet

August 10

• Diarrhea became frequent and uncontrollable – we had to put her in a diaper

August 11

• Visited vet again, they prescribed Metronidazole

August 22

• Poops have been solid for a few days
• Started adding a small amount of her kibble into her chicken and rice

August 24

• Diarrhea returned overnight, 3x vomit (no blood) in the morning
• Changed back to plain chicken and rice diet
• After some Googling, realized her kibble was possibly spoiled. I didn't know the expiration date only applied to the unopened bag. It had been open too long (

August 27

• Poops have again been solid for a few days
• Opened a new bag of her normal kibble and added a small amount to her breakfast and dinner
• Diarrhea returned ((

So: my current theory is that she developed some sort of allergy to her kibble. The only thing I'm unsure about is that she doesn't have any other symptoms – in particular, no itching or other skin issues.

The only foods we know she doesn't have an issue with now are chicken and white rice. Does it seem like there could be any explanation for this situation other than a food allergy?

Below are the ingredients in the kibble (Nutro Ultra Small Breed) she's been eating for about a year (since she transitioned to adult food).

[sup]Chicken, Chicken Meal (source of glucosamine and chondroitin[/sup], Whole Grain Sorghum, Whole Grain Oats, Whole Grain Brown Rice, Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Natural Flavors, Lamb Meal, Salmon Meal, Brewers Rice, Dried Plain Beet Pulp, Whole Grain Barley, Whole Flaxseed, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Citric Acid (preservative), Mixed Tocopherols (preservative), Whole Chia Seed, Dried Coconut, Dried Egg Product, Tomato Pomace, Dried Kale, Dried Pumpkin, Dried Spinach, Dried Blueberries, Dried Apples, Dried Carrots, DL-Methionine, Salt, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Vitamin E Supplement, Sodium Selenite, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), D-Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B2), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Manganous Oxide, Potassium Iodide, Folic Acid, Rosemary Extract.)

 

[developer2021]

@sebastian_flores First - I’m so sorry to hear your dog is going through all this. It must be so tough for you both. My dog spent the last year with a mix of loose stool and diarrhoea. I was in constant contact with the vet trying to figure out what’s wrong. Rice and chicken was the only thing that seemed to help. As soon as we would introduce something else, it would return.

About two months ago he had an ultrasound to rule out inflammation and obstruction. When that came back negative the vet suggested trying hydrolysed kibble to see if that helps. Considering everything else that we tried I was a little sceptical that something like this would work. I ordered it right away and I was gobsmacked at the results. Over night it solved the issue. We are a little over two months in and he is having solid bowel movements twice a day like clockwork.

I don’t know if the same thing will work for your dog or not but don’t lose hope!

 

[sebastian_flores]

@developer2021 Really appreciate this, thank you! I’m assuming it was a similar situation where your dog had been okay with their food initially but then developed some kind of insensitivity? Or did they have trouble with food all along?

 

[developer2021]

@sebastian_flores Yup - he had a few bouts with giardia when he was a puppy (he’s two now) but once was got that resolved he was fine. He was on purina pro plan the entire time. Then with no other changes to diet things started to get worse. After a lot of trial and error we are on Royal Canine Ultamino mixed with a teaspoon of psyllium husks and some fresh chicken.

The vet recommended hydrolysed food as she suspected he had a food allergy and it’s very easy for them to digest. I’ve even been able to add in other types of food/treats with no changes in stool (although I don’t push it).

I hope some/any of this helps - best of luck with finding a solution!

 

[sebastian_flores]

@developer2021 Very interesting – thank you so much for sharing!!

 

[sebastian_flores]

One potential lead: her kibble brand changed formulas, and I think the bag she was on when all of this started was the first one with the new formula.

They added the following:

Whole Grain Sorghum

Whole Grain Barley

Potassium Iodide

Copper Sulfate

Ferrous Sulfate

Manganese Sulfate

Manganous Oxide

Citric Acid (preservative)

Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C)

Sodium Selenite

Mixed Tocopherols (preservative)

Zinc Oxide

Any likely suspects here?

 

[sebastian_flores]

Barley is my current suspect Perhaps she has a gluten intolerance.

 

[maxi00]

@sebastian_flores Maybe try a grain free kibble? Some pet food stores have samples too