When Louie developed IBD after some separation anxiety, his lack of appetite led to serious weight loss, lack of energy and a poor coat. Wanting to get him off his bland diet of boiled chicken and pumpkin, his fur mama Gemma decided to try Lyka. After wolfing down his first bowl and demanding more food ever since, Louie is now back to a healthy weight.
Meet Louie, the gorgeous Italian Greyhound
After spending a lot of time researching breeds and breeders, Gemma decided an Italian Greyhound was the perfect dog for her and her family. She brought Louie home two years ago, and calls it the best decision she’s ever made:
“He is my shadow, never not by my side or on my lap.”
Louie’s fur mama Gemma
Gemma loves his funny personality, and tells us he has some unusual characteristics which make him extra unique:
“We also call him cat-dog as he likes to be perched up high, always seeking the sun just like a cat. As Italian Greyhounds have little to no hair and low body fat, they love laying in the sun and being under blankets (even if it’s a 40 degree summer day). There is not a daily walk that goes by where Louie gets away without being called a ‘prancer’. Due to his (extra) long legs he truly prances and bounces around when he walks and he makes everyone passing by smile, laugh or comment on his extravagant walking and fashion style. We love how he can make someone’s day so easily!”
Louie’s fur mama Gemma
Louie’s diet dilemmas
Gemma originally gave Louie a raw, BARF diet. When Gemma went overseas for a couple of weeks, Louie experienced separation anxiety, which led to him experiencing nausea and diarrhoea almost daily, with a complete loss of appetite.
“After months of research, trying different vets, specialists, traumatic vet visits, nausea injections, testing/trialling and eliminating different foods recommended by the vet, Louie was diagnosed with IBD.”
Louie’s fur mama Gemma
While taking antibiotics to treat an infection in his gut, Gemma decided to stick to a home-cooked diet of boiled chicken and pumpkin, as it was the only meal he could eat and mostly keep down. This bland diet did not offer all of the nutrients Louie needed, so Gemma slowly started adding in sardines and offal. This did not help Louie’s fussiness, as he was still not enjoying dinner time and would ignore meals until he became desperately hungry. Then, Gemma came across Lyka:
“I was super impressed with Lyka’s website, quality of ingredients, the ability to cater for dogs with dietary issues and great customer service. Sceptical at first (as Louie was now an expert as turning his nose up at everything I served him), I purchased the Starter Box. To my surprise he scoffed down his first ever Lyka bowl and the rest is history. He now demands mealtime!”
Louie’s fur mama Gemma
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Since starting on a Lyka diet, Louie looks and feels much better than before, and has gained 2 kg. He is now a healthy 7 kg!
“The major change we saw was the weight gain. Louie had lost just over 1 kg during his illness (this is a large percentage for an Italian Greyhound with naturally low body fat and only being 5 kg). As you can see in the after photo, he is looking great now! His skin and coat have also improved a great deal. You’ll notice in his before photo, the hair was thin and dull and has now come back nice and thick.”
Louie’s fur mama Gemma
His mood around other dogs has also improved, and he’s even been able to make some new friends:
“His energy levels have increased massively at the dog park and in social settings (still sleeps most of the day at home, as all Italian Greyhounds do). During Louie’s sickness, he became anti-social around other dogs as he evidently didn’t have the energy to burn, but seems he has a lot more energy now when socialising with other dogs and more inclined to make new friends.”
Louie’s fur mama Gemma
Love your Lyka like Louie
For Italian Greyhounds like Louie, keeping weight on is especially important, and can be difficult if they face even the most minor health conditions. Enter Lyka: with pouches customised to your dog’s weight, activity levels and body shape, you can be sure your pup is getting all of the nutrients and energy they need to be their best selves. Try a Starter Box today, and see the fresh food difference for yourself.
