My rott boy has had a dodgy tun for a while and the vet has confirmed no parasites or any disease causing it. He was on a pasta/chicken bland diet and was then put on hills z/d food which costs £68 a bag - eek! This is not a long term option and definitely not affordable for a 10kg bag.  Any suggestions for a cheaper allergy limiting dry food.  I sometimes feed raw but don't want to commit to this every day so all suggestions welcome.

We use Skinners Hypo-Allergenic which is quite a bit cheaper.  We had the same problem with upset tums so had to change and are happy with this now. We get it from Countrywide.

Thanks, I'll have a look at that one.

It all depends what the allergy is to.  Some dogs for example can't handle chicken, so giving chicken and rice doesn't hslp, ditto any other combo.

In the past dogs became sensitive to wheat and Beef, so all the pet food manufacturers switched to rice and chicken, as hypoallergenic, then Turkey and rice, now dogs re reacting to rice it's Fish and potatoes and so on. 

All about novel ingredients be it the grain/carbohydrate, or protein source.

Best bet is an exclusion diet using a protein and carbohydrate they haven't been eating before.

Ok, he was ok on chicken and fish when he was getting that with pasta.

I used to feed him salters food and he did really well on it but the prices went up to £50+ per bag so I tried him on something cheaper (autarky) and he was a bit sloppy on it and got progressively worse.  My partner then suggested we try a supermarket brand - cue the asda dog food and near liquid poo.  Then another bag of autarky and another bag of salters then off to the vet.  Things got a bit more solid on the pasta/chicken/fish diet and have been dark but normal on hills.

The hills food is only an interim solution so I need to find something long term.

raw?

raw?

Sounds like he does not do well with maize, so a food that does nor have it, is he OK with Rice?  Potato.

Arden Grange lamb and Rice would be a good one, but I notice it does have maize, ditto Simpsons lamb and Rice which is cheaper.

Simpsons sensitive ranges don't contain cereal, so might be worthy a try: http://www.simpsonspremium.com/sensitive-dog-food  friends of mien feed the Salmon and potato, as mine don't have issues I use the lab and rice that does have some maize.

Haven't used Wafcol in years but their Salmon and potato has no cereals http://www.berriewoodwholesale.co.uk/det/1746/Wafcol-Adult-Salmon-Potato-Small-Medium-Breed-12Kg/

Could look at http://www.workinghprs.com

The duck and potato is grain free there is also fish and potato which is a top end ultra hypoallergenic diet based on hydrolysed proteins ( protein pre digested into it constituent amino acids  ) Competitively priced

Thanks for all the suggestions.  I'll look into them all and speak to the beta bout introducing foods.  This will ensure i don't get palmed off with their own very expensive stuff if there are suitable alternatives out there.  Smithy I don't want to commit to raw as he is very food possessive and would spend his time roaming round the garden snarling at any potential threats to his food.  He is a grumpy git at the best of times so only gets raw sometimes.

Thank you for the benefit of your own experiences and advice. :-)

Ever since our most recent buy-in Basset came to us with Giardia, despite now negative fecals, he tends to have tummy issues, often starting the day with a normal stool but going to 'not nice' by the end of the day.  I have had him on Arden Grange Sensitive for some years now and I have to say it works.   It's not the cheapest but if it keeps him away from the vet's office, worth every pound!   I have tried weaning him off this (it's a fish and potato diet) but everytime I do, he reverts.  It may not work for every dog, but it works with mine!!!

Ever since our most recent buy-in Basset came to us with Giardia, despite now negative fecals, he tends to have tummy issues, often starting the day with a normal stool but going to 'not nice' by the end of the day.  I have had him on Arden Grange Sensitive for some years now and I have to say it works.   It's not the cheapest but if it keeps him away from the vet's office, worth every pound!   I have tried weaning him off this (it's a fish and potato diet) but everytime I do, he reverts.  It may not work for every dog, but it works with mine!!!

I apologise if this posts more than once, but there's not much I can do about that!!!

Ever since our most recent buy-in Basset came to us with Giardia, despite now negative fecals, he tends to have tummy issues, often starting the day with a normal stool but going to 'not nice' by the end of the day.  I have had him on Arden Grange Sensitive for some years now and I have to say it works.   It's not the cheapest but if it keeps him away from the vet's office, worth every pound!   I have tried weaning him off this (it's a fish and potato diet) but everytime I do, he reverts.  It may not work for every dog, but it works with mine!!!

I apologise if this posts more than once, but there's not much I can do about that!!!

Ever since our most recent buy-in Basset came to us with Giardia, despite now negative fecals, he tends to have tummy issues, often starting the day with a normal stool but going to 'not nice' by the end of the day.  I have had him on Arden Grange Sensitive for some years now and I have to say it works.   It's not the cheapest but if it keeps him away from the vet's office, worth every pound!   I have tried weaning him off this (it's a fish and potato diet) but everytime I do, he reverts.  It may not work for every dog, but it works with mine!!!

With apologies for the probably, multiple posts - which I can't do anything about.

Ooh I'd forgotten their sensitive, certainly found Arden Grange generally an excellent range of foods, which I used for many years, only switching to the very similar recipe Simpson's on price, as with 6 dogs it does make a difference.

Thanks mamabas, another good suggestion.  Sounds like a call to the vet is in order to look at reintroducing foods.  Thanks everyone :-)

This is free of most allergy causing products and is a good price, especially if you buy 2 bags. The chicken version is even cheaper http://www.dodsonandhorrellpetfood.co.uk/autarky-adult-salmon
http://www.dodsonandhorrellpetfood.co.uk/autarky-adult-chicken

You really need to find out which foods your dog is sensitive to. The salmon one Sillysue linked to looks ok till you read down the ingredients list that they use chicken fat and one of mine is intolerant of chicken! I would put your dog on an elimination diet (I used purina) then starting introducing one food at a time to see if you get a reaction.

Sillysue, autarky chicken was the one that started the runny bum saga and also the senior one that kept it going. The salmon could be an option though. 

If my boy is ok with a source food e.g. Chicken, does this mean he will be ok with it in a kibble or is it more complicated than that?

but not any good if the dog is sensitive to Corn/maize, and chicken as many are. 

I do use this food (mixed with Arden Grange or SImpsons Lamb and Rice) as it suits my older dogs, but they don't have food sensitivities.

My GSD was on Burgess Lamb and Rice for Sensitive tummies, I swore by it and reasonably priced too. Maize and dairy free, I got it from Feedem, online. If you order sensibly, look at the terms, delivery is free!

Thanks Beardy

Quick update for you all.  I spoke to the vet on Friday who wants him to stay on hills food until poo is poo shaped.  Apologies if TMI but it had the desired consistency but not the shape.  Since then chief runny bum is back and the poor boy has foul smelling liquid poo and wind despite being on allergy food and nothing else :-( the time when we can get him back on 'normal' food is looking further away than I thought. :-(

My whippet had the same at around 9 months and the vet eventually gave him a course of antibiotics, it cleared it up and touch wood he is nearly 5 yrs old and has been fine since. I sadly lost my GSD a few months ago and took on a 7 month old standard poodle. He also has a sensitive stomach! I have just switched him to the Burgess Salmon and rice, but he also had to have a weeks antibiotics to clear up the diarrhoea. It was very smelly and runny! I have found that chicken bonio's upset him and am very careful with feeding titbits, left overs etc. I do feel for you, I know I thought things would never improve, but they did, eventually! I hope he is picking up a bit!

I once tried a sensitive food and it was the only food to ever cause my dogs to have hot spots!  :(

I would feed raw and Original Chappie when travelling or for convenience!  :)

Thanks for the replies, I was planning to update this thread next week when I have more info but now is as good a time as any.

My boy was in for bloods last week and the vet phoned to tell me he is very low in protein and not storing it in his body, hence the dire rear.  He is going in for a biopsy on Monday via a camera up the bum as his protein levels are too low to open him up as he won't heal.

The vet is sure it is one of 2 things - intestinal cancer or lymphangiestasia.  Neither are curable so it looks like I will lose my baby boy soon :-( I'm gutted as he is only 6 but will know more next week :-(

Oh Ali-t I'm so sorry.

Thanks Barbara, I will know more by the end of next week but its hard to not dwell on it.  I am off work next week so lots of cuddles and playing are in order.

Please let us know the outcome. Sending love and hugs your way xx

So sorry to hear your sad news, my thoughts are with you and your boy x

I brought my boy home from the vets this afternoon and he is stubborn to the hilt!  They weren't able to take  the samples they wanted during the biopsy as he was totally clamped up and they couldn't get the scope to where they needed it to go :-( he has never liked people touching his rear and he was having none of it today lol.

the vet said they are going to treat it like it is the lymph thing so we have to keep feeding him protein and supplement with vitamins until he becomes too sick to be viable :-( he already lost 4 kilos in the last month and we are feeding him loads, he just can't keep the protein in.

I am to get him high protein, low fat food (hills or royal canin suggested) and supplement vitamins and antibiotic sands just wait and see.  no good news but for now he is fairly happy and still enjoying life so we just have to  enjoy the time we have left with him.