Change of diet - suddenly fat and coarse coat

[druid]

So, my 3yo neutered ESS was on a mostly raw diet (Nutriment and various duck wings, turkey necks etc plus tripe. Half a can of grain free wet food a day (varying brands). Also given seaweed and salmon oil). He looked fantastic, 18kg, beautiful silky coat, loads of energy.

Due to various factor mostly as it may not always be me feeding him in my new home I transitioned him on to a grain free dry food (Taste of the wild) and wet food, still having the seaweed and oil. He's still full of energy but has put on two kilos and his coat across his back is going coarse and wiry. The diet change has been since the start of January.

I'm now unsure if I should continue the kibble diet or put him back on raw which is doable if a faff (we have five dogs between us and the other four are on grain free dry). Or do would you try another brand of dry food?

I'm going to take some blood and pop it in to the vets just in case.

 

[cremedemonthe]

So, my 3yo neutered ESS was on a mostly raw diet (Nutriment and various duck wings, turkey necks etc plus tripe. Half a can of grain free wet food a day (varying brands). Also given seaweed and salmon oil). He looked fantastic, 18kg, beautiful silky coat, loads of energy.

Due to various factor mostly as it may not always be me feeding him in my new home I transitioned him on to a grain free dry food (Taste of the wild) and wet food, still having the seaweed and oil. He's still full of energy but has put on two kilos and his coat across his back is going coarse and wiry. The diet change has been since the start of January.

I'm now unsure if I should continue the kibble diet or put him back on raw which is doable if a faff (we have five dogs between us and the other four are on grain free dry). Or do would you try another brand of dry food?

I'm going to take some blood and pop it in to the vets just in case.

In my opinion no kibble can ever compare to raw food, so go back to it. I have 3 dogs on raw meat and bones, been on it nearly 10 years now and I would never ever go back to ANY commercial food wet or dry, ever again. If I am not around to feed my dogs I have it already in separate containers ready for someone else just to tip it in their bowls, it doesn't take long to prepare like this.I have never seen them so healthy as when they are on the raw diet and wish I had known about it long before I did.
Your dog was doing well on the raw, his current health reflects the diet, I would change it back straight away.

 

[Alec Swan]

Castrating dogs will all so often have the effect, through the change in the animals body requirements and indeed in the cancelled requirements, that there will be noticeable changes. Just as when an entire horse is gelded, they will be obviously and visibly different from their 'entire' brother, and from a distance too.

There's little benefit in the discussion as to whether castration is advisable or not, it's been done-to-death (!), but it has to be accepted that there will be changes to the dog, and whilst some may be preferable, so some may not. The two most common and obvious differences will be a likely weight gain and a change in the animals coat.

Whilst we consider that most puppies will reach their eventual shoulder height by the age of about 10 months, the body continues to develop. Most male dogs, aren't truly mature until they reach the age of about 3 years, though this will be breed and size dependent. It's also true that the early castration of many dogs, as with horses, will result in the animal growing far beyond the height and size which one might expect.

I would be most surprised to hear that the reason for your dog's obvious changes, are diet linked. I'd suggest that his changes are far more likely to be linked to his maturing process, whilst not having the 'benefit' of his testicles. The 'benefit' being that he was born a male, with the usual and normal supply of testosterone and hormones, and now that he has had his natural flow and process of development altered, so the results are there.

Castration succeeds in only one certain point; the animal can no longer sire pups. Many find that there are secondary and not always desirable side effects. There is no blanket rule, as some will be effected in one way, whilst others won't.

Alec.

 

[druid]

Interesting points.

CDM - its not that simple, he can be food aggressive and raw brings out the worst in him in terms of guarding. As soon as the new kennel block is finished life will be simpler in terms of feeding segregation!

Alec - I didn't neuter him, he's a rescue and was done when I took him on. It was me or PTS for him as he was a serial bolter and had chased livestock in previous homes. He's an exemplary gundog now. The timing of the chaage makes it suspiciously likely that the food is at fault but I'm open to the fact hormones may play a role. My spaniel pup isn't and won't be neutered.