Quick Summary
We’re about 10 weeks into Clifford’s food trial with Ultamino, and unfortunately, we haven’t seen the improvement we were hoping for. Even more discouraging, some of the progress we saw earlier has started to reverse. Because of this, we’re making a change and moving back to a more controlled raw diet.
What Clifford Is Eating
Clifford is currently eating:
- Royal Canin Ultamino (twice daily)
- Hill’s Prescription Diet Hypoallergenic Treats
Paw Licking Update
At this point in the trial, there has been little to no improvement in Clifford’s paw licking. This was one of the main symptoms we were hoping to resolve, so it’s been disappointing not to see progress here.
Skin Changes I’ve Noticed
One of the more surprising parts of this journey is that some of Clifford’s earlier improvements have actually reversed.
When Clifford was previously on a raw diet, his skin improved significantly — it became softer, lighter in color, and we even saw hair regrowth in some areas.
Recently, I’ve noticed his skin starting to darken again and become rough, which has been discouraging to see.
What’s Changed Since the Last Update
Since the 4-week update, the biggest change has been the loss of earlier progress. While we were hopeful at the beginning of this trial, it’s become clear that this diet is not giving us the results we need.
What Happens Next
Because of these results, the next step is to transition Clifford back to a raw diet — but this time with a much more controlled approach.
For at least the next 8 weeks:
- He will only eat the raw food
- He will continue with his vet-prescribed treats
- No additional foods or supplements will be introduced
When we tried the raw diet previously, I now realize I was including some foods that he is allergic to based on recent testing. My hope is that by removing those variables, we’ll get a much clearer understanding of what works best for him.
One consideration is that the raw patties do contain brewer’s yeast, which Clifford is sensitive to. However, since it appears lower on the ingredient list — and his symptoms were no worse than they are now — I feel comfortable moving forward with this plan.
Follow Along on Clifford’s Journey
This has definitely been a learning process, and I’ll continue sharing updates as we go.
👉 Read the full journey:
- 4-Week Update
- 10-Week Update
- (Next update coming soon)