My dog has been on Canidae dry dog food for the last three years. Over the last month or two my girl has had pretty consistent diarrhea. Nothing else about her has changed. Her personality is the same as its been and her weight has been at 82lbs for the last year.

The vet told us that she may have a condition that is common among GSD, but I don't remember the name of the condition. It is supposed to be a lack of an enzyme that makes digestion tough. She said we can get a $350 blood test to see if she lacks enzymes. If so, we can supplement her diet with an enzyme powder. The vet then recommended Medi Cal gastro dry dog food. See if that helps, if not go with the blood test.

I am running low on the food so I checked online where I can pick some up and it gets real bad reviews online. Bland and lots of fillers.

Sorry about the ramble, but I am looking for a dry dog food that will be easy on her digestive system. Medi Cal doesn't sound like the quality I want to keep feeding her so I would like another option.

Has a fecal exam been performed?

I believe it was Canidae that changed their formula not too long ago. Lots of dogs didn't tolerate the new formula and had too be switched to a new food.

What other foods do you have available to you?

I'd find a new food now. Like tomorrow. Only because this food has been suspect for so many recently.

If I didn't see some drastic changes soon I'd get to the vet ASAP to find out what is up with your dog.

The vet took some of her feces and tested it. Nothing bad was found. She took her temperature, did a physical exam, and weighed her. Everything was normal.

Like I said, my dog is the same except for the diarrhea.

Not every bowel movement is runny, but I would say 50-75% of the time she has loose stool.

The vet did all the tests at the time that's why she suspected it was an enzyme issue.

As far as access to food, I can probably get any brand that is available in Canada.

Was it EPI? Did the vet mention Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency?

Please look on the billing papers or call, and post back.

 Quote: Michael_Wise

... I'd find a new food now. Like tomorrow. Only because this food has been suspect for so many recently. ...

Along with this, I meant.

 Quote: Connie Sutherland

Was it EPI? Did the vet mention Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency?

Please look on the billing papers or call, and post back.

That's the name of it, yes

She said that she would have to draw blood and see if my dog lacks the enzymes. If so they can put her on a powder with her food.

Before she drew the blood she suggested that we try this gastro formula food and see how that works. Comes to find out not too many people promote this food. My guess is that was suggested to us because its the only food my vet sells.

Well, EPI can be a serious problem. "Putting powder on the food" is kinda minimizing what can be a pretty traumatic diagnosis, as well as what can be major struggles to find a diet that the EPI dog can handle.

http://www.sniksnak.com/doghealth/epi.html

However, you don't know yet, so I guess that right now you are feeling your way, trying a different food to see if it was the formula change in your old food ... and that is absolutely the way I would go, too. The fact that your dog has maintained her weight is a huge plus, IMO. (I am not a medical professional.)

The issue that EPI dogs have with digesting fat may not be something to look at yet, since you really see no EPI symptoms except for the diarrhea. (Is it extremely smelly, and maybe greasy?) So I guess for now I would simply be switching to a small package of a very good food that's also not high in fat (not an issue with healthy dogs, of course), watch the dog on it, and be ready to try another one.

I'd probably be considering a food like this: http://leerburg.com/honestkitchen.htm

I would be thinking that way because it's poultry-based (Force and Embark), extremely high-quality, dehydrated and in fine, easier-to-digest form, and suitable for added high-efficiency meat like poultry breast.

Thanks for the info Connie, much appreciated.

I will pick up some Honest Kitchen food Monday.

For what its worth, Lucy, my mongrel, had diarrhea and very soft stools, (giardia didn't help) and some intestinal damage from the giardia. She may have a mild EPI, but I can't afford the tests right now.

This to say, I have had her on The Honest Kitchen dog food for a few weeks now, and after a few days, her diarrhea and soft 'fluffy'stinky stools are now fairly solid and in one piece, and I can't smell them from 4 feet away. I add salmon, sardines, or beef to her food (Force) (3/4 c of dehydrated, 1/4 c of raw meat) each meal and she is almost perfect.

Connie's suggestion is a good one. And, not surprisingly, from what I have researched, the Embark and Force are good for EPI dogs. Severe EPI will still need porcine enzymes added but the food is 'perfectly' balanced with the right easily digested meat and right amounts of fat. I do add a stomach soother powder to hers and she appears much better.

I use a blender to blend everything into very small bits as it seems to help Lucy digest everything more thoroughly. I am the only one I know that does this, so I doubt you will need to. It isn't a big deal to do, if you do see that you will need to do it.

Good luck! and, hopefully you can purchase it without having to mail order it. The convenience would be perfect!

I order my THK backup for raw from Leerburg. It comes in a matter of a few days. In fact, you can choose faster shipping too.