Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
My dog has had very loose stools for three days. I tried adding rice to his kibble (ultimately an epic fail) and replacing his kibble with plain boiled chicken breasts for two meals (limited success). Beyond that, his diet has been the same thing and he hasn't gotten into anything. How do I fix this?
Is this a new occurence? Is the kibble a new bag (regardless whether it's the same brand or a different one)? How old is your dog?
A trip to the vet for a fecal test to rule out parasites would be a must if you don't know the cause of this digestive flare-up. If tests come back clean, you may want to test for food sensitivities (keep in mind though, that giardia is a parasite that is notorious for causing diarrhea, and doesn't always show up as positive on the first test). In the meantime, if it were me, after a vet visit I'd stick with chicken/rice until you see improvement, and mix in some powdered probiotics along with some pure pumpkin (not canned pumpkin pie mix).
[My own dog has sensitivities to foods, so I try to keep him on a fairly strict diet. He will sometimes have flare-ups though, often caused by either stress or heat.]
Is this a new occurence? Is the kibble a new bag (regardless whether it's the same brand or a different one)? How old is your dog?
A trip to the vet for a fecal test to rule out parasites would be a must if you don't know the cause of this digestive flare-up. If tests come back clean, you may want to test for food sensitivities (keep in mind though, that giardia is a parasite that is notorious for causing diarrhea, and doesn't always show up as positive on the first test). In the meantime, if it were me, after a vet visit I'd stick with chicken/rice until you see improvement, and mix in some powdered probiotics along with some pure pumpkin (not canned pumpkin pie mix).
[My own dog has sensitivities to foods, so I try to keep him on a fairly strict diet. He will sometimes have flare-ups though, often caused by either stress or heat.]
This is a new thing, though we've only had the dog for a month. It's the same bag of kibble he's been eating since his adoption in January. He's a little over a year old. I've been mixing in pure pureed pumpkin or sweet potato into his food since we brought him home.
I am completely puzzled by the sudden issue. There are no other changes to his personality, mood, sleepiness, etc. We have a vet appointment for Thursday, so if it doesn't resolve itself or become an emergency situation, we'll talk to someone then.
Years ago when I adopted Phoenix she had issues with diarrhea and the vet could find no cause so figured it was food or stress. No matter what I fed her it would not clear up. I mentioned something about it while at the feed store and the clerk told me to get some digestive enzymes with pre and pro biotics. I did that and by the week's end her stools were back to normal.
Since then I have given it daily to all my dogs and I they have not had digestive issues even though I switch protein sources on them often or they eat something totally new for a meal. One time I did board the dogs and forgot to take it along but they did have their own food and they got diarrhea from the stress of boarding. They board at my vets and I got a call asking if it was ok to give them some Flagyl for the diarrhea I said no but asked if they could give them some digestive enzymes with pre and probiotics so they did that and it cleared up. So I would say give it a try as it will help keep the gut balanced and healthy.
This is a new thing, though we've only had the dog for a month. It's the same bag of kibble he's been eating since his adoption in January. He's a little over a year old. I've been mixing in pure pureed pumpkin or sweet potato into his food since we brought him home.
I am completely puzzled by the sudden issue. There are no other changes to his personality, mood, sleepiness, etc. We have a vet appointment for Thursday, so if it doesn't resolve itself or become an emergency situation, we'll talk to someone then.
Quote:
Originally Posted by JONOV
I'd let it run its course if he isn't loose to the point that your concnerned about dehydration and seems otherwise fine.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dashdog
Years ago when I adopted Phoenix she had issues with diarrhea and the vet could find no cause so figured it was food or stress. No matter what I fed her it would not clear up. I mentioned something about it while at the feed store and the clerk told me to get some digestive enzymes with pre and pro biotics. I did that and by the week's end her stools were back to normal.
Since then I have given it daily to all my dogs and I they have not had digestive issues even though I switch protein sources on them often or they eat something totally new for a meal. One time I did board the dogs and forgot to take it along but they did have their own food and they got diarrhea from the stress of boarding. They board at my vets and I got a call asking if it was ok to give them some Flagyl for the diarrhea I said no but asked if they could give them some digestive enzymes with pre and probiotics so they did that and it cleared up. So I would say give it a try as it will help keep the gut balanced and healthy.
Yup, I would agree, no worries unless it is completely liquid and the dog is pooping uncontrollably more than a couple times per day. DO make sure you get a stool sample to take to the vet on Thursday. I find the occasional addition of probiotics to a dog's diet can be helpful. You don't need to mortgage the ranch to buy some - shop carefully. That's a longer term answer, so spending some time researching products and options won't hurt.
You've only had pup a month, so there's still plenty of opportunity for stress and worry on his part. Supposedly pumpkin will help with diarrhea. Some people seem to find it helps. But it hasn't worked for me that I could tell. Besides, if it's something he got in to, like cat poop, you'd want the diarrhea to help get all the nasty germs out of his gut.
Yup, I would agree, no worries unless it is completely liquid and the dog is pooping uncontrollably more than a couple times per day. DO make sure you get a stool sample to take to the vet on Thursday. I find the occasional addition of probiotics to a dog's diet can be helpful. You don't need to mortgage the ranch to buy some - shop carefully. That's a longer term answer, so spending some time researching products and options won't hurt.
You've only had pup a month, so there's still plenty of opportunity for stress and worry on his part. Supposedly pumpkin will help with diarrhea. Some people seem to find it helps. But it hasn't worked for me that I could tell. Besides, if it's something he got in to, like cat poop, you'd want the diarrhea to help get all the nasty germs out of his gut.
They get "bugs" like we do, many times its nothing to concern yourself with. Think about it, even if you watch closely, you don't know if he didn't sample a rabbit manure Hors Devours, the cat food set out by a neighbor, the fetid mud puddle that he prefers to cold, filtered water...
They get "bugs" like we do, many times its nothing to concern yourself with. Think about it, even if you watch closely, you don't know if he didn't sample a rabbit manure Hors Devours, the cat food set out by a neighbor, the fetid mud puddle that he prefers to cold, filtered water...
My dog eats kibble as his food, but I've noticed something:
If I just put kibble in his bowl and he eats it dry, he has poor digestion, including runny/soft/yucky poops. But if I soak his kibble for about 10-30 minutes first in hot water, until the kibble is essentially mush (and I can easily pinch it between two fingers), his digestion is great and his poops are well-formed and solid.
It really can vary with dogs. Some dogs just have soft stools. My best friend is a veterinarian, and she FREAKED out when her one dog started having soft stools. She did every kind of test, every kind of diet, home cooking, special foods and the end result was always the same. She gave up and just said "That's just her."
I would investigate every avenue, but don't freak out if it turns out this is just how she kind of is.
On another note, you may want to give a new food or diet at least a week or two before you make a judgement. In your position, I would fast the dog for 24 hours then move back to boiled rice and chicken and keep her on that for a few days. Then I'd gradually reintroduce the kibble. Maybe stick to a duck and pea version. See what happens then?
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
