This is a specific conversation about Dog food allergies — identifying and fixing them — ask about yours and get one honest answer for your exact situation.
inparticular.ai
Immediate diarrhoea when switching foods in a young Vizsla is almost always a transition reaction rather than a true allergy — Vizslas have fairly sensitive digestive systems and their guts need time to adjust to a new protein and fat profile. True food allergies are actually less common than people think; what you're more likely seeing is a straightforward intolerance to the sudden change. That said, I'd love to get the full picture before suggesting anything. How old is your Vizsla exactly, what food were they on with the breeder, what did you switch to, and how quickly did the diarrhoea start — within hours, or after a day or two?
She's just turned one. The breeder had her on Purina Pro Plan Sensitive, and I switched her straight onto Millies Wolfheart Riverside Mix. The diarrhoea started within about 12 hours of the first bowl.
inparticular.ai
That makes complete sense — you've gone from a highly digestible, relatively low-fat kibble to a food with a much higher meat content and different protein sources, all at once. Twelve hours is classic gut-shock rather than an allergy response. The good news is her digestive system isn't broken, it just wasn't prepared. Before I suggest the best next step, did you go cold turkey on the switch, or did you try mixing the two foods at all? And is she still having loose stools now, or has it settled since you stopped the new food?
Went cold turkey, yes. I've put her back on the Pro Plan for now and she's fine again. I do want to move her off it though — I'd prefer something with better ingredients. No allergies or skin issues, she's just a healthy dog and I want a better quality food.
inparticular.ai
Good — the fact she bounced back immediately confirms this was purely a transition issue, not an intolerance to any ingredient in the new food. For a healthy one-year-old Vizsla with no allergy concerns, where your goal is simply a cleaner ingredient list, I'd recommend Canagan Free-Run Chicken. It's grain-free, 70% chicken, no cheap fillers, and the fat and protein levels are well-suited to an active breed like a Vizsla without being so rich that it overwhelms a sensitive stomach. The key is transitioning over 10 to 14 days — start at about 20% new food, 80% old, and increase slowly every three days. That's genuinely all it takes. Would you like specifics on portion sizes for her weight?
Yes please — she's around 20kg, quite lean and active.
inparticular.ai
At 20kg and active, Canagan's feeding guide puts her at roughly 220 to 250g per day as a maintenance amount, split into two meals. Because she's lean and a working-type breed, I'd start at the higher end and watch her condition over a few weeks — you should be able to feel her ribs easily but not see them. Stick to the slow transition schedule and you shouldn't see a repeat of the diarrhoea. Canagan Free-Run Chicken is widely available on Amazon UK, usually in 2kg, 6kg, and 12kg bags — the 6kg is a good starting size to make sure she takes to it before committing to a larger bag.
That's really helpful, thank you. I'll grab a 6kg bag and do it properly this time.
inparticular.ai
Perfect plan. Slow and steady really does make all the difference with these sensitive-gutted dogs. If she develops any loose stools during the transition, just hold at the current ratio for an extra three days before increasing further — that's usually enough to get things back on track. Good luck with her, she sounds like a great dog.
