Cockapoo Puppy

[Yorkshiregirl]

Hi and thanks for letting me join the Forum  I am looking for some advice for my Cockapoo puppy Tilly re feeding, she is currently on Barking Heads dried puppy but is itching and has been treated for a urine infection and having her anal glands done which makes me think the food isn't suiting her.

I have been doing some research but must admit find it all confusing and contradictory as have read too much protein and fat isn't good for them, and have also looked at the raw diet which is high in fat and protein. We would like to feed her the best diet to help her prosper and eliminate any infections.

Many thanks in advance

[Tinyplanets]

Hello and welcome to the forum. I don't have any experience feeding puppies but a urine infection may be a sign that she isn't drinking enough. In my experience, it is hard to add water to some of the dried foods. I used to feed my dog a cold pressed food and it was quite easy to add a little warm water to that as the food absorbed it well.  Otherwise a wet food might be a better option.
Are her stools soft on her current food? If so that might not be stimulating her anal glands enough.

It is difficult to recommend a food for the itching as it is impossible to know the cause but if you are looking to see if diet makes a difference then it is best to choose something that has only a few ingredients in. You also have to ensure that you avoid treats and extras. If the itching clears then you can try adding more foods slowly to see if anything causes a reaction. It can be  a long slow process and is a case of trial and error.

Home cooking is also an option but you need to be well informed about the subject to ensure balance.  Also if you decide to raw feed, it is important to have good food hygiene practises to avoid cross contamination.

[Yorkshiregirl]

Many thanks for your reply  I've ordered the gentle food and will see how she fairs with that, her stools were softish before the antibiotics, forgive the description  first one on a morning was always good but then squidgy later so am hopeful for the Gentle one

[Rebecca Forrest]

Try with the gentle and see how she gets on, if no good then a good food is pure you re hydrate it with warm water. They do little packs to try. Not cheap but worth a try.

[Dottie]

Yorkshiregirl - I found that my dogs had good firm poos when on cold pressed food. I hope this product is helpful for your dog. Please let us know how you get on.

[Yorkshiregirl]

Hi thanks for accepting me on here, I have a 4.5 month old Cockapoo who is scratching chin and ears and biting her paws, she is currently on barking heads puppy and enjoys this. We did buy Gentle to try her on but she doesn't like it and leaves this food, have tried wetting it but it is always left.

I know that cockapoos are prone to allergies and there are a number of owners who have reported on this and just wondered what worked for you.

Many thanks.

[Dottie]

Hello Yorkshiregirl. I have merged your thread with the previous one as it is the same subject. I have looked at Barking Heads Puppy food and it attracts a good nutritional rating - link.

There are a number of posts about allergy and you can find them by using the search box at the top of the board index.
Also, it might help to have a look at this video: Alison Daniel from My Pet Nutritionist talking all things allergy.

Finding the cause of itching/scratching can be difficult. We automatically assume it is food but it can be due to environmental factors or, as you have mentioned, genetic factors. Have you seen your vet about this? Is your puppy insured? If you can find a vet that is particularly interested and knowledgeable about skin problems it can be extremely helpful and save money in the long run.

Skin scrapings are useful and you can ask your vet about this. There are two common issues that arise with intense itching/scratching - bacterial skin infection and yeast infection (malassezia). These can be treated but very often need intensive therapy.

My feeling is that it is best not to feed dry extruded food to dogs with this type of problem. An elimination diet can pay dividends but most vets would start the dog off on hydrolysed protein dry food. Most dry food is high  in carbohydrate and with an itchy dog you want to look for low carb.

Quality wet food with a very simple recipe (single protein) might help. It is said that beef and chicken are common allergens but I have found that white potato and legumes can also be problematic. It’s not uncommon for dogs to improve on a raw diet as this is usually low carb. If you are inclined to try this use a good quality complete product. The other option is fresh cooked food.

Have a think about this and let us know what would be acceptable.

[Yorkshiregirl]

Many thanks for your help and response Dottie I will look into your suggestions.

[Dottie]

I forgot to mention that skin scrapings would also reveal the presence of mites. These can cause intense itching. Your puppy is very young to have food allergy so it's best to eliminate other causes first (as I have already mentioned).  If you do decide to change food again please remember that it can take some weeks to see an improvement. Skin cells need time to shed and be replaced.