I adopted another chi, Precious, about 3 weeks ago...so now Ginger has a new buddy. Its been a long few days tho.....I'd really appreciate any advice/guidance!

Monday around 7 p.m., both chis started vomiting within 30 minutes of each other. This went on for a couple of hours...Ginger about 8 times and Precious maybe 5. It was basically undigested food (and a little poop in Ginger's...yuk!) Ginger hadn't eaten since about noon, Precious had eaten around 4.

I had taken them outside approx 1.5 hrs before the vomiting began, and seem to remember they were picking at something on the ground, but I couldn't see anything.

The next morning (Tues) they both had normal poops and no more vomiting, so I started them on boiled chicken and rice after giving them a 12 hr rest. Now they are active and are pretty much back to normal, except their poop! Precious had a very loose poop this a.m. and Ginger hadn't gone since Tues morning, until a few minutes ago, but it was pretty normal. I read here about pumpkin, so I gave them both a teaspoon this afternoon. How long should I keep them on the chicken/rice, and the pumpkin? Honestly I am making myself nuts stressing over it lol

Sorry this is so long, but just a little background....
Precious was on Purina at the shelter and transitioned well to Royal Canin here with no upsets. At first she ate it well, but began to turn her nose up at it, tho she would devour any treat offered to her. I think at her former home she must have been free fed...she only eats a little at time and starts searching for food every several hours. I cant free feed here, Ginger will eat anything thats left. Precious lost weight (from 6.1 down to 5.3) since she wasn't eating well, so last weekend I started adding in maybe a tablespoon of Cesar canned food with the Royal Canin and she loved it and ate it very well. I also added just a little to Ginger's bowl too just so their food would smell the same...they are both pretty nosy about what the other is eating.

Something else which is new.......both chi's have just started nibbling on poop out in the yard, not their own, but I think its dogs/cats which roam the neighborhood! I try and watch them like a hawk, but its so hard to see poop in the leaves, especially at night!

I would appreciate any guidance or insight on all of the above!! They love the chicken/rice and lick their bowls clean......but was not sure how long I should leave them on it? I dread the thoughts of another food change.

Here's a picture of them sunbathing a couple of weeks ago.

Congrats on your new addition and kudos to you for adopting!

This is what I would do...if you got the thumbs up health wise for both girls from
your vet...

I would eliminate the ever so nasty Cesar food, and since they are not doing so
well on the not so great Royal Canin I would switch them over to the highest
quality grain free you can get. As for poop eating, it can resolve itself on its own
once they start getting all of the needed nutrients from their diet, or you may
need to do a little training in that department, either way until then I would
restrict them to on leash walks only to ensure they are not ingesting any more
poop...literally.


By the way when was the last time they were dewormed?

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Thanks for the input LS....can you suggest a grain free food?

Precious tested neg for worms on the day I adopted her, 11/8. Ginger was last tested in Aug, also negative.... and they both are on Advantage Multi which includes a dewormer.

Any advice on how long they should stay on the chicken/rice and pumpkin?

As far as grain free foods, look into:

Acana Regionals line (ranchlands, grasslands, Pacifica, wild prairie).

Fromm four star grain free varieties.

These two are by far the best grain free lines available.


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I agree with LS and I think a food switch is definitely a good idea. As I was reading the post my first thought on reading the food was icky and icky icky. When I first got Jaxx hubby bought dog food for him from the grocery store. It didn't take me long after finding this site to switch him fast.

There is a website that is great for dog food reviews
Dog Food Reviews and Ratings | Dog Food Advisor

As for poop eating I always take either a flash light or my cell phone with the flash light app on when I take Jaxx out at night. I always have the flash light on him and if he starts to nose around in the grass like he is looking for something to chomp on he gets a quick "leave it" and then he walks away. Jaxx doesn't eat poop but our neighbors are bad about throwing anything and everything in the yards.

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As Ashley mentioned the grain free varieties of Acana are GREAT!
Orijen is also excellent, made by the same company. Out of kibbles
they are by far the top two in my book. For sensitive tummies Acana
has the "singles" formulas that are good, and I also love their Pacifica.

As for chicken & rice, I'm personally not a fan, since two of my 4 dogs
can't digest rice properly. I rather do a 12 hour fast and then start on
the Acana(tiny tiny amount) with a teaspoon of canned pumpkin. Do
that twice per day for the first two days, then start giving a bit more
food and slowly eliminate the pumpkin. After a week they should be on
the Acana alone without issues. If you still get liquid stools then you
could be overfeeding. Most importantly do not give any treats or table
scarps at all at all. If you don't see improvement in their stools then
it's vet time again.

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See this is her training YOU! Picky dogs aren't born, they are made.
Don't feel sad for her, don't give into her little fits, put her meal down,
leave it 15 minutes, if she does not eat pick it up and that's it she gets
NOTHING until next scheduled meal. Feed twice per day, no treats in
between. Soon enough she'll catch on that if she doesn't eat she won't
get anything else, and she'll stop holding out for something better. A
healthy dog won't starve itself.

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This is excellent advice. If she knows something better is coming (treats or new different food), she will hold out for that. Once she knows nothing else is coming she will eat what you give her. She will not starve.


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