Food Switch, Week 3

Last week was Leo's week on the other "flavor" of food in the same brand/line that I'd chosen for him. It was disappointingly not as effective as the first one (the one I had a hunch we'd be going with all along, but wanting to try this one as well).

For one thing, he pooped twice as much last week, on this other "forumula", which really  means he pooped 4x/much, since the week prior's poop was half as much as what he would produce on his old food, and last week's was double what he produced on the old food.

Also, he was much more itchy, scratchy, flaky and did a lot of licking- all things he hadn't done the previous week, and seemingly more-so than on his old brand.

Now we're back on a big bag of the "High Prairie" blend. The pooping is slowly minimizing, but I'm thinking about cutting his portions back a bit more. I think he also gained weight on last week's food trial. It would be weird... sorta. I fed him the same portion, but he gained weight on it AND pooped quadruple the amount? I should tally the calorie content of each for comparison, I guess... but I just don't see how various "flavors" within the brand, which are only based on differences in the type of protein source used, should make that much of a difference.

Also, between that weight gain, the 12lbs he packed on between this past May and last year, and the fact that I've had to adjust his collar twice this summer, I'm wondering if he has a hypothyroid problem. The first time I read this article, I decided not. After last week, I think I was wrong, initially. I had DH read it, and he thinks Leo is fine.

I think we'll definitely do the "senior package" and have all of his blood panels run on his next vet visit.