Nutrition/ Rotating Foods

[lisaz]

I have read about the benefits of rotating between 3-4 high quality foods. Can anyone comment on:

-How often foods should be rotated?
-Should I wait to rotate until after puppyhood?
-When switching from one to another, should I wean him over the course of a few days, or just switch?

Does anybody else do this?

Any comments/ suggestions on the process or methods would be appreciated!

[Pembroke_Corgi]

lisaz,

I've never heard about rotating foods before but I know that puppies are supposed to have especially sensitive stomachs so it probably wouldn't be a good idea to have a puppy switching foods. I would ask your vet who probably would have some good advice, especially if they know your dog well.
I've always heard that dogs appreciate a stable diet, so if you are considering rotating it should probably be done gradually.
It's also hard to know which brand to choose- it seems like there are problems with most major brands. I used to feed my dogs Nutro (when you look at the label it seems to have the least amount of by-products) but one of my dogs developed crystals in her urine and the vet suggested I switch to science diet. I was hesitant at first since I've heard bad things about Science diet, too, but I made the switch over a year ago and both my dogs are doing well on it. Hope that helps!

Pembroke_Corgi

[dragondawg]

You should find a high quality of dog food and wean your puppy over to it gradually at the appropriate time.

Switching foods without any medical reason (e.g. allergy) is asking for problems. We humans tend to overlay our "food values" onto our pets. Although we gain pleasure from taste, and would not consider it appealing to eat the same tasting food every day of our lives, a dog does not have such values. Yes they do enjoy getting an occaisonal snibble of human food (i.e. mine get the very last bite of whatever I'm eating- and they seem happy about it). But for the most part a dog will gobble down a good premium dog food while barely tasting it.

[lizbud]

I've not heard of rotating foods either.I can't think of any
benefit to the dogs. Did the article mention why it's a good
idea?

[LuvGold00]

I have heard of rotating foods, one of the people that own a pup I bred does this often. She feeds, Eagle Holstic, California Natural, Innova, & Wellness. She switches about every 6 months or so.
Whenever you are switching your dogs food, it's good to gradually do it over 3-4 days so you don't upset their tummies. And I wouldn't switch puppies under 6-7 months old often.

[lisaz]

Thank you everyone else for your comments. You've been very helpful! For those who were interested in the benefits, just one of the things I read:

Feeding only one food for the rest of your dog’s life is a surefire way to help him develop food allergies or intolerances. Any nutrient deficiency, excess, or imbalance expressed in a food can become entrenched in your dog’s body if that’s all he’s fed for years on end.
(“Variety Is the Spice of Life,” WDJ June 2001, for more information about the importance of occasionally switching foods.)

I also talked to a local pet store owner, and she said she feeds her dog the same dry food, and rotates a little canned, which sounds like a good idea to me.

LuvGold00, I am going to take your advice, and try to start rotating when he gets to be a little older, maybe >1 year. Then try the rotation thing every 4-6 months, unless Murphy proves to have a sensitive stomach.

Thanks again everyone!

[rkidsrcats]

I read the same thing about rotating food to prevent food allergies. Sam has one and I think I found reference to this on an internet website for a veterinary school.

[dragondawg]

Someone needs to tell my dogs about this food allergy stuff. My previous dog was on the same food 10.5 years. The current ones 2 and 2.5 yrs and counting. No food allergies, or any other food disturbances.

Reactions our puppies have to their dog food comes in two forms:

1. True allergic reactions due to one or more ingredients in the food.

The dog encounters the allergen the first time and has little or no response to it. The next time and thereafter more severe allergic reactions will occur. It might be possible for other factors to induce food allergies where previously there was no reaction. For example parasitic reactions might in general raise IgE levels that trigger against the food. In general though a true allergic reaction to food is genetically based. The dog will either be prone to develop the allergy or will not. In essense an allergy is due to an over reactive immune system based on the genetics of the individual dog. The dog food I feed is primarly chicken and corn meal along with about 10-15 other items mixed in (e.g. eggs, various supplements). If I had a dog that had a genetic tendency towards allergies then it might be possible they would be allergic to something in this brand of food. The point being it doesn't matter if they eat this same food the rest of their lives or not- after two years with no allergic reactions the probability they will develop one now to this food is extremely small. The genetics just are not there.

2. Non-allergic reactions which are primarly centered around digestibility of the food.

Your dog may not be able to tolerate the type of filler be it cornmeal or wheat from a digestive post of view. Or the pancreatic enzymes the dog produces may not be able to break down the particular meat component. A dog that suddenly reacts in an "allergic" way to their food after being on it for some time, is probably having a non-allergic reaction to it. With aging alone the digestive systems of some dogs will dramatically change. Also note that whenever you "change" the basic composition of the food, you are also asking the dog's digestive system to change. Switching brands is inviting this type of reaction to occur, and thus the need to change gradually. My philosophy is switch only if you have to, as it's less disruptive to the dog's digestive system.