Senior food causing bloating in Samoyeds

Senior dogs genuinely do have different nutritional needs — typically lower calories, better digestibility, and added joint support — but the right food depends a lot on breed size, age, and what's already been tried. Since you're here about senior dog food, I want to help you find something that actually works: what breed and age is your dog, do they have any health conditions, and what are they currently eating?

That reaction to the senior food isn't unusual — a lot of senior kibbles are heavily fortified with peas, legumes, or chicory root as fibre sources, and some dogs, Samoyeds included, don't handle those well at all. The bloating and gas is usually a digestive sensitivity to the fermentable fibres or a specific protein source, not an allergy exactly, but a real intolerance. Before I suggest an alternative, can you remember what brand the senior food was, and was it a dry kibble or something else?

That's really useful. Hills Senior uses chicory root and a fairly dense fibre blend that does cause gas in sensitive dogs — it's a common complaint. And if he does well on chicken, that tells us a lot. Given his joint stiffness at 9, you do want to move toward something with better joint support than a standard adult food, but without the ingredients that caused him trouble. My clear recommendation is Forthglade Complete Grain Free Senior Dog Food with Turkey, Sweet Potato and Vegetables — it's a wet food, which is easier to digest than kibble, has no legumes or chicory, and includes glucosamine and chondroitin naturally from the meat content. Turkey is a lean, low-inflammatory protein that tends to suit dogs who tolerate chicken well. The soft texture also means no fermentation issues in the gut.

Yes, it's a complete food — fully balanced, nothing extra needed. Switching from dry to wet can occasionally cause a loose stool for a few days simply because wet food has much higher moisture content and the gut needs to adjust, but it's typically mild and settles within a week. The way to make it smooth: do a gradual transition over 7–10 days, mixing a little of the Forthglade in with his current food and increasing the proportion slowly. Because he already reacted badly to one change, going slow is especially worth it here. The portion sizes are different to dry food — Forthglade gives clear guidance on their trays by weight, and for a Samoyed you're typically looking at around 2–3 trays per day depending on his size and activity level.

Good question to ask. Samoyeds at 9 are entering the senior window where a few things are worth keeping an eye on: their kidneys can become a factor as they age, so it's worth mentioning to your vet at the next check-up and asking about a kidney function screen — not because anything is wrong, just because catching it early matters. Joint health is already on your radar which is great. Samoyeds are also prone to hypothyroidism, which can show up as weight gain or coat changes, and that's easily managed if caught. The food switch you're making — lower calories, better digestibility, joint support — is exactly the right move at this stage. Forthglade Senior fits that brief well without the digestive drama of his previous food.