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Dr. Cathy Alinovi

Why am I supposed to mix foods when I switch pet foods?

Let me ask you this in exchange: Do you eat the same thing every meal? Do you get diarrhea when you eat different meals? Normally no, right?

Let me ask you this in exchange: Do you eat the same thing every meal? Do you get diarrhea when you eat different meals? Normally no, right?

Essentially it comes down to health of the intestinal tract. If your pet has a healthy intestinal tract, then there’s no problem switching foods. Just like we eat eggs for breakfast, salad for lunch, and chicken with green beans for dinner without having diarrhea, our dogs and cats should be able to eat similar variety.  When dogs and cats cannot easily switch foods, that’s where the real problem lies. Some pets are so sensitive that simply switching proteins within the same brand of food can still cause upset intestines. These pets have serious intestinal ill health!

If your pet is one where just one errant crumb causes a week of diarrhea with blood and mucus, then it’s time to think of what to do to build intestinal health. If you are like most pet owners of dogs and cats this sensitive, you’ve already tried probiotics and “prescription” diets for “sensitive stomachs” – which didn’t help. You’ve been to the conventional veterinarian who tested for giardia, parasites, and coccidia. That veterinarian would have tested for pancreatitis, and performed routine blood testing – everything was found to be “normal.” Your pet would have been prescribed metronidazole a time or two and possibly labelled as having “inflammatory bowel syndrome” and given steroids for the rest of its life (and possibly that prescription diet). So, you’ve learned to live with it and closely guard what falls on the floor.

The problem is that what causes intestinal issues in one animal is not the same as for another, making it harder to know how to proceed.

Sometimes the fix is easy, sometimes not so easy. Below is a partial list of things that can help:

Prebiotics

L-glutamine

Inulin

Slippery Elm

Diatomaceous earth

Bentonite or montmorillonite clay

Food sensitivity/allergy testing

Homeopathic remedies

Herbal remedies

Total diet makeover

Heavy metal detoxification

Digestive enzymes

Test for SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth)

Feed raw, fermented goat’s milk, maybe even a 30 day goat’s milk fast

Rectal ozone

The list of possible methods to treat “sensitive” intestines is, obviously, long. While it may seem disheartening that the list is so long, meaning there are so many causes, at least the list is long enough that if you haven’t tried everything on the list, there are still options to try for your pet.

If you need more information, or need help getting to the bottom of the sensitive gut issue, ask your integrative veterinarian. In the meantime, slow changes in the food are advised for those pets with touchy intestines.

Dr. Cathy Alinovi DVM

As a practicing veterinarian, Dr. Cathy treated 80% of what walked in the door — not with expensive prescriptions — but with adequate nutrition. Now retired from private practice, her commitment to pets hasn’t waned and she looks forward to impacting many more pet parents through her books, research, speaking and consulting work.  Learn more at drcathyvet.com

12 Comments

12 Comments

  1. Dianne

    March 31, 2016 at 2:51 pm

    When Royal Canin switched their sensitive stomache prescription food from chicken base to pork based without any warning, it makes one wonder how serious they are about their insistence of a gradual switchover. Do puppies get their initial gut flora from their moms? If so, wouldn’t it mean that if the mother is only fed one food, that the puppies start out with a disadvantage in the gut area?

    • Peter

      April 1, 2016 at 6:25 am

      What a dreadful, dangerous, and “insensitive” (no pun) tack for a pet food manufacturer to take.

      My understanding is that the population of fauna within the cat or dog’s intestinal tract changes over time, to “adjust” to the food(s) presented. If a dog or cat is fed the same food for long periods (“my cat won’t eat anything but…”), the animal’s gut adjusts by maintaining only the bacteria that is “necessary” (my words). Unneeded (good) bacteria simply dies off. So if the pet guardian switches foods– even to a “better” or “super premium” food– the animal can or even will get “sick” since s/he does not have the proper range of bacteria to digest the food. The frustrated pet guardian reacts “my cat/dog can’t stand or can’t tolerate” X-brand, and returns to the old food. So many people, particularly with “fussy” cats, get into this cycle.

  2. Caron

    March 31, 2016 at 3:14 pm

    Excellent article. Thank you. My 19 year-old cat Pearl developed chronic diarrhea after a bout with an intestinal bug. Her blood work was fine so the vet suggested metronidazole and probiotics.

    The problem was also that Pearl was losing her appetite. They had no real solutions for that.

    I tried many different canned foods and even cooked, but she just didn’t want much.

    So I went back to grinding whole chickens and livers and feeding her a raw diet. Her appetite gradually improved and her stools are now normal.

    I wish the vet schools weren’t controlled by Science Diet, Royal Canin, etc because a whole lot of folks can’t afford a holistic veterinarian and what they teach about nutrition is garbage, just like a lot of their food.

    And when people think their car is being fussy, I’m sure it’s because they’re feeding garbage foods and the cat just wants fresh, real food.

  3. Carol D.

    March 31, 2016 at 3:31 pm

    One thing you didn’t mention is the possibility of whip worm, it is more widely spread than many thing and rarely drops eggs. The symptoms you mentioned are whip worm symptoms. They also cause a “dry” strip of hair down the back with the tips that curl up – but usually after the problem is pretty bad. Lass of appetite, a roached up topline and tummy cramps are also included. Whip worms attach to the walls of the intestines and can cause leaky gut syndrome, fenbendazole is the first thing I reach for when I have a dog that shows those symptoms. I am retired now, but was a long time dog show breeder and exhibitor and became quite familiar with this problem. One of our good show dog oriented veterinarians told us that, because the eggs are persistent in the environment, the vast majority of the dog show grounds have them and he felt 90% of the show dogs would have them. They are easy and safe to treat and hard to diagnose, so I like to increase awareness. Thanks for the work you do regarding dog foods and their how unsafe they are.

  4. Nancy

    March 31, 2016 at 3:34 pm

    A species appropriate diet plus a holistic veterinary team does wonders. As do traditional chinese herbs and acupuncture for more persistent cases.

  5. Paul

    March 31, 2016 at 3:48 pm

    Great article. I have often wondered why healthy dogs would have such problems switching food. It’s because the quality of their food is so bad. I feed my dogs real, human grade food and have never had these problems. Thanks Kathy.

  6. Dianne

    March 31, 2016 at 4:24 pm

    My dog has rather bad allergies and I have actually had more luck with control by feeding different foods at every meal. Contrary to what most any vet dealing with allergies will tell you.

  7. Caron

    March 31, 2016 at 4:33 pm

    Whatever you need to do to stay safe, is fine with me Susan. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate you and your work.

  8. Hannie

    March 31, 2016 at 5:13 pm

    My Lab never has the same bag of kibble twice (except maybe months apart). I have two bags open at any given time & she has one in the morn & the other in the evening. She has never had any kind of digestive upset from switching food. I don’t trust any commercial food enough to give it to her all the time so I constantly switch around. She is a very health 11 yo who still loves to chase her tennis ball……not as much as she once did but she still loves to run. I believe that switching dry food & home cooking the rest is the best thing you can do for your dog. I do know people that have fed the same kibble for yrs & won’t believe me when I tell them to switch to another brand. Next most important thing is exercise…….even small dogs need exercise……

    • Hannie

      March 31, 2016 at 5:16 pm

      Susan…….why did that video wind up in the middle of my comment & cut some of it off? I have no idea who posted that video but it wasn’t me & it took out some of my post……

  9. Virginia

    April 1, 2016 at 1:11 am

    I have always ignored employees of pet food stores’ warnings directing me to mix the new and old food
    together rather than feeding the new food all at once. I buy healthful food for my dogs and they have
    never had any problems with sudden food changes. I have 2 healthy race bred whippets who, at 12 and 13 are still running faster than any non sighthounds. I agree with Hannie’s post.

  10. Michele

    April 1, 2016 at 9:46 am

    You mentioned fermented goats milk. What are the benefits of this. I thought dogs should not have dairy?

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