Yeah Orijen does not swell at all.

Bitkin-I believe you are probably correct with your conclusion.
If the books need balancing and corners have to be cut they could be using a cheaper inferior source in either supplier or ingredients.
In either case it may be a new recipe but not an improved one.
In fact will the reported problems users on here are finding it appears to be the opposite.

Looking at the new list of ingredients, potato is now top of the list! What you have just said might well account for why Jimmi became so thirsty, as well as unwell.

Potato (34%), Salmon (24%), Salmon Meal (13%), Whole Lupin, Seaweed (6%), Sunflower Oil, Salmon Oil (2%), Salmon Digest (1.8%), Minerals, Vitamins, Mannan-Oligosaccharides (2150mg/kg), Fructo-Oligosaccharides (2150mg/kg), Glucosamine (340mg/kg), Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM 340mg/kg), Chondroitin (240mg/kg)

Well fish will make dogs thirsty.

Did the old recipe used to contain lupin as well? Because lupins are known to be highly allergenic to some like peanuts......................

Maybe it does, but the point is the food DIDN'T make Jimmi thirsty until they changed the recipe, and nor did the home cooked fish etc., or for that matter the Fish4dogs that he is on now.

Yes, I believe that the old recipe contained lupin.

It was just a thought, fortunately my dogs do not have allergies or intolerances nor are they on dry dog food, so it is not something that concerns me, I just wondered if you knew about lupin and had the old analysis/ingredients list to be able to make a comparison.

However ingredients that fall below a certain percentage do not have to be declared so that may be a consideration.

All dry foods will make dogs more thirsty than those fed raw or wet etc.

Well Harvey is still itchy, not as bad or as pink but it's not cleared by any means

Unfortunately he needs a lot more of this food than any of the others so unless problems calm down significantly it would not be cost effective to feed & we will be back to square one

Yes I have the two lists. Only feeding the one dog I would just buy the smaller bags, always had one in backup. When I said the recipes differed, to the Nutritionalist she said the Ingredients were no different, it is because of new legislation they have t0 list all ingredients, however in the old recipe there is 25% salmon,in the new there is 24% which may not seem much however something so slight 1% here & there could just tip the balance for sensitive animals

If they had kept the recipe the same & put the price up, most of us with sensitive dogs would have paid it rather than disrupt our pets, just a shame

Sally & I both add water to dry food so in essence when it's fed, it is moist food

A strong meaty smell doesn't sound quite right to me!
The ingredients used may not have been fresh and become rancid.
If that was the case it could compromise the immune system especially in a sensitive dog.
Carbohydrate as lead ingredient is making this kibble inferior in ingredients and poor value for money.
The more carbohydrate eaten the more water the body needs and holds so your dog would definitely drink more fluid.
Pleased to hear you have found an agreeable kibble.

There are very very few foods where carbohydrates do NOT make up the vast bulk of the food.

Rancidity is controlled by preservatives either artificial or natural but that protection ceases the DAY the bag is opened.

Unfortunately what may be MORE likely is the presence of aflatoxins in the grain content ie lupin etc which is NOT killed by processing.