My Lab - recent issues....

Tommo

Well-Known Member
All,

I'm looking for some advice really. My lab is not a deer dog, although she has been on a few stalks so hence why its not in the deer dog section.

Recently, i would say in the last month my 3yr old lab (full ped) has started behaving irrationally, for the last two years i've had her she has been (at night time) kenneled in our kitchen in a huge dog crate/wire cage where she has lived happily. We also have a Patterdale which is kennelled the same way on the other side of the room. No problem. But in the last month the lab has started to drawl, pant and wet her bed regular and whilst we were away at the weekend she bit through her kennel wire walls and escaped into the kitchen where she reeked havok.

She has never displayed this sort off behaviour before. So today i have been and bought another crate/kennel and she has tonight started to try to chew her way out again, so she has been turfed outside.

Now, she has always been kennelled, and spent most of her younger life in a lintran on the back of a pick-up learning from her mother picking-up and treated/kennelled well.

The only thing that has changed recently is her food where i put them on a bag of 'working dog' food, can this be the source of the behaviour? I have changed her back the old food as of today..

Thoughts please-bit worried about her?!

Tom
 
All,


The only thing that has changed recently is her food where i put them on a bag of 'working dog' food, can this be the source of the behaviour? I have changed her back the old food as of today..

Thoughts please-bit worried about her?!

Tom

Not necessarily the source of this behaviour, but a change in diet can certainly change the demeanor of a dog. You do not say what you have changed from but a working dog food can cause dogs to become hyper if not able to work off the energy through other means.
 
Not necessarily the source of this behaviour, but a change in diet can certainly change the demeanor of a dog. You do not say what you have changed from but a working dog food can cause dogs to become hyper if not able to work off the energy through other means.

I see what you are saying,

She was on Field & Trial food, and i changed her to the same sort of thing but a outlets own brand (as the F&T stuff was out of stock)

She does get walked, although as i say i'm stalking mostly so she doesnt get to 'let off steam' - so the new food could have made her hyper...
 
Have you compared the protein content of both feeds? That could be part of the answer.
 
Dogs are very much creatures of habit and once used to it are normally quite happy to being kennelled in their own space. My house dog has a cage and if left to his own devices in the house will go and lie in his cage with the door open.
The change in food maybe having an effect in that "working dog" feed will have a higher protein content than the norm feed but I have only known of one case where the effect was as marked as severe behavioural changes. I would have expected changes out with the cage as well.
I would think there is something more going on. How is the dog behaving out with the cage?
 
as above what did you change her from and to? if the protein level is to high for the amount of work she does this may cause the hyperactive behaviour.. also is the food the dry/ kibble type or muesli type? i have found previously that the yellow shite in the muesli type can cause dogs to go a bit beswick.. i feed my dogs(4 labs and a spaniel) on dry kibble typr food 25% protein and 15% oil during the shooting season and then drop them to 18% protein and 8% oil during the off season.. not saying this is the way forward but it seems to work well with my dogs?
regards, Jez.
 
Food is definately a feasable explanation.

My children once wreaked havoc after consuming "tropical fruit" flavour Sun Lollies. No other flavour had the same effect, just the "tropical fruit" flavour. I always thought that parents who blamed addatives were being silly, but we had a very startling reaction in our children with one foodstuff.

In some of the dog foods there are some horrible things. Some kind person on this site once posted a link to a web-site that gave a breakdown of what makes up the componants of most of the major brands of doog food. I will try and find it.

Your dog is exhibiting classic signs of stress, if only the one thing has changed in her life, then change it back and see what happens.

I will be interested to see what happens about this, please post and let us know. Best of luck!

Regards, Simon

Edit; http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/
 
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I'd get your Lab to a vet pronto. It doesn't sound anything like a change of feed would cause what I would consider seriously worrying symptoms. Sorry to say it but at best it sounds like the dog is extremely stressed at worst it could have something seriously wrong. I'm not a vet but I'd sure as hell be going to see one if my dog was behaving like that.

All the best

Rich
 
Thanks for all your replies,

I'll be digging the other bag of food out and comparing with the usual tomorrow morning...
 
If I were you I'd get her to the vets as soon as to be on the safe side and change her food back.

Hope it's nothing serious.
 
Couldn't bloody wait,

Protein %'s are the same (21)

Same with fibre (3)

The level of fat in the old is 8%, none in the new.

Oil percentage in the old is 9%, new 8.

Added vit's A, D3 and E in new ('no added vitamins' in the old)

Hmmmmm..... Researching the vitamins mentioned.

Any ideas of how to 'detox' a dog? A friend has mentioned tripe?

Tom
 
if necessary i starve mine for a day or two for a detox. again some will say this works some won't but it seems to work with my dogs.... as basil says, check the teeth for any foreign objects that may be lodged where they shouldn't.. my old lab used to get sore throats and drool a lot although it didn't make him slash all over the shop, i used to give him honey and again, this seemed to do the trick..
regards, Jez.
 
So far -

Benefits of Vitamin D - Vitamin D3 Supplements

Basically she (I think) from researching the listed vitamins, is susceptible to vitamin overdose(s). The drooling and hyper behaviour is a side effect of vitamin over indulgence. This coupled with excessive coat loss (another effect) so she's back on her old food, well watered (outside though) ..

Vet friend has told the missus to give her fresh meat ......(in small amounts)...

I'll give you by day by day updates -

Tom (feeling slightly better now) a warning to all though....
 
Hope you get her sorted. I was thinking maybe a metal ion deficiency of some sort. I'd be forking out for a trip to the vet in any case if it was me.
 
Are you planning seeing how things pan out or taking her to the vets?

I wouldn't give her raw meat. Our vet always recommended a plain diet of boild rice and boiled chicken when she's had stomach complaints, they also mention scrambled egg but if you are convinced it is a vitamin toxicity then I'd avoid that.

I'd urge you to still consider taking her to the vets even though you seem sure you understand the problem, better safe than sorry and if all you need is a quick consultation because you are correct then that'll only be what £10-20 (I pay £15 I think).

You'll notice a certain vet on this forum (Apache) has told you its not the food.

Good Luck
 
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It's not the food.

Can you quantify this Apache?

I ask because I know all 3 vets in my practice personally, all shooting and fishing men and they have all mentioned at some point over the years that a sudden change in diet (which this appears to be) can cause a change in behaviour...

(meant to say that perhaps not to this extreme though!!!)

Curious as to what your thought on the matter are re the food aspect...
 
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