Practice Scenario

A black and white border collie

Meet CHAMP

A 4-year-old, neutered-male, Border Collie

  • Champ is at the hospital for a yearly physical examination and vaccinations. 
  • Described by his owner as an energetic and athletic dog, Champ competes in agility and herding trials. He also “works” on the owner’s hobby farm by helping to move livestock. 
  • Champ’s owner reports that competition- and travel-related stress sometimes cause Champ to have soft stools. The owner switched Champ to a raw food to address the soft stools, but the switch did not resolve the issue. 

Changing Diets

Switching Pet Foods - Dogs

Gradually transitioning onto a new diet will minimize the risk of stomach upset or other issues. In order not to overfeed – check the feeding guidelines on the new food and the recommended amount for the dog’s weight (assuming the pet has a good body condition score).

Gradually replace ¼ of the current food with the ¼ of the new food every 2nd day. After 7 days, the switch over to the new food is complete.

If a pet is susceptible to stomach upset, it may be beneficial to transition over 10 days.

switching pet foods graphic