Is it fine for my 5 year old Shih Tzu (gastro issues) to eat Royal Canin Puppy food?

[randallb]

My dog has been on Royal Canin prescription diet for gastro issues since he was 1. He normally eats the low fat GI line. However, he goes through periods where he gets tired of the food and won’t eat it (of course I’m sure it sucks) and I add a little olive oil or bone broth to spice it up.

When that doesn’t work, our vet has us get the puppy food bc it’s tastier and he’s the runt of the litter (>10lbs). He’s recently been rejecting the adult low fat food a lot more often and I’m having add something additional at least twice a day (he eats 3 times a day). Our vet suggested we switch to the puppy food permanently and of course he’s a doctor and I trust him, I’m more so wondering if anyone else has been through something similar and if it’s safe in the long run.

TLDR: Vet suggested we feed 5 year old shih tzu with gastro issues the puppy Royal Canin line.

 

[sevilodorf]

@randallb Puppy food is more calorie dense so you’ll need to keep an eye on his weight, but puppy food is a lot safer long run than adding oils, which can cause pancreatitis, especially in dogs with existing gastro issues.

 

[randallb]

@sevilodorf Yes, our vet initially had us adding 1/8 teaspoon of olive oil at every feeding (like drizzle a tiny bit and mix it up), we switched to bone broth but textually he hates soggy food so unless he eats immediately he won’t want it. But our vet did say he could use more fat in his diet and what’s to see a little extra weight on him if we can.

 

[kawaiichristi]

@randallb Puppy food also meets the nutritional requirements of adult dogs. It will be fine. Just make sure you're feeding the appropriate amount of calories to maintain a healthy slim weight. My only concern would be if you need low fat, puppy food tends not to be low fat. But otherwise feeding puppy food to an adult should be fine, as far as general nutrition goes.

 

[randallb]

@kawaiichristi Thank you! Our vet said that he could use a little more fat and thar’s probably why he gravitates towards the puppy food more.

 

[tongdtbds4]

@randallb Can you try mixing royal canin adult and puppy? Does he maybe prefer the smaller sized kibble and not the taste of the puppy versions?

 

[randallb]

@tongdtbds4 I haven tried it, I’ll test it out the next time the puppy food comes. He’s only ever had one or the other. I said in other comments but our vet thinks he’s craving the fat since he doesn’t get it too often.

 

[erinbeery]

@randallb One suggestion, have you tried microwaving his food for a bit? It's supposed to make the food more enticing smell wise. I've tried it a few times on my dog who sometimes gets upset stomachs and thus loses interest in her food and it helps when I dont want to give her a topper/supplements

 

[randallb]

@erinbeery I haven’t tried this yet! Our vet say he’s likely just bored and craving fat. But I’ll give it a try since our puppy food subscription hasn’t started yet. Thanks!

 

[mike1911]

@randallb can also add hot water and let it cool. usually works a charm

 

[erinbeery]

@randallb That's fair! I mean in all honesty If I ate the same flavor or texture of something everyday i'd get tired of it eventually, my childhood dog we let graze, and he often picked at his food as he got older since he was tired of eating the same thing. If your shih tzu can handle and likes veggies, that might be an option for you to add as well, I hope microwaving might help until the puppy food comes in! I think the broth is great and you could try salmon oil instead of olive oil, my dog goes crazy for it and demands it in her meals when we have it after she got used to the flavor. It helped her coat and skin as well!

With the puppy food i'd just watch your pup's weight since I believe it has more fat in it? Considering pregnant/nursing dogs get fed puppy food as well because they need all the extra everything they can get and so do growing puppies, but your dog will not.

 

[hemispheres]

@randallb You could try switching him to the Royal Canin Gastro Moderate Calorie. It's actually cheaper than the low fat, which is a bonus.