Help! Food issues!

[Melissa_W]

Hey everyone. I am having some trouble with Kai and need some advice. This all started about 2 weeks ago when he got sick for some unknown reason and had go to the vet. The vet put him on a canned perscription diet. He seemed to really like it, and when I started mixing the dry EVO with the canned he really scarfed it up. He's a little underweight, so I decided to get him some canned Innova after the perscription food was gone to encourage him to eat. I mixed it with his dry food (1/8 can, 1/2 cup dry twice a day), and everything was fine at first. Then he got ill again on Saturday. It wasn't as severe though, and he seems to be fine now. He only threw up three times and has been pooping, drinking water, playing, etc. But now when I give him his food, he licks the canned food off the kibble and leaves the dry food in the bowl. This is really irritating me. I don't think he is ill anymore, I think he is just being a brat. But I don't know what to do. He hasn't eaten a full meal since Saturday morning. I want to go back to feeding dry only again. He is becoming too picky. But he won't eat the dry food anymore, ever since he started on the canned. I feel like I've really screwed up. I just want him to eat the food I give him with no drama. How do I switch him back??? How long can he go without eating? I feel horrible just letting him starve, especially when he is slightly underweight.

Sorry this is so long...

 

[Mordy]

Why not feed him canned food if he prefers it? It's healthier than kibble anyway.

 

[dogsarebetter]

oh it is mordy?
i didnt know that, i think alot of people are lead to beilve that its not, or it should only be a treat.

 

[PoodleMommy]

Both of my dogs are on canned only.
they do fine on this...


Elissa

 

[papillon806]

I wish mine could eat canned only However when I tried this he developed diarrhea and I just couldn't seem to get it cleared up. (and with a white, fluffy dog, you can imagine that being a nightmare, lol)

 

[Mordy]

Sadly there are a lot of misconceptions about canned foods. As long as you are feeding a good quality brand that doesn't contain sugars and other undesirable ingredients, it's absolutely fine.

In Germany for example mixing canned meats (this is pure meat, without grains or potatoes etc. added) with "mixer flakes" made from cereal grains and veggies is a traditional way of feeding and still very popular. I guess people haven't been brainwashed by the feed industry as much to believe that every dog should eat nothing but kibble.

There are many really good canned foods on the market, especially the "95% meat" type has seen an increase in brands over the past year or so. There are also 100% meat cans, which even come in organic varieties.

These are suitable to mix with premixes like for example Dr., Harvey's or Sojourner Farms etc. and there are grain-based as well as grain-free ones available.

 

[Melissa_W]

Ooooh, I heard that it's bad for their teeth and digestive system... It's interesting to hear you say it's actually healthier than kibble! I think an issue with my boyfriend is how expensive it is, also. But I will have a talk with him about it. Kai actually got hungry enough to eat his food tonight, but I know he still prefers the canned. Thanks, Mordy.