[Curtis B]

I have a 9 month old chocolate lab and she has had soft stool(never diarrhea) since I brought her home. In the morning it starts firm and ends soft; soft the rest of the day. Full of energy and no other signs or symptoms of medical issues. She’s been been to the vet for 2 checkups and checked for worms and that came back clean. I’ve tried several dry foods and she has been on Orijen large puppy kibble for the past 4 months. She has also been getting organic pumpkin and a probiotic with every meal for the past 4 months. At the request of a trainer, I ordered a kit from Glacier Peak Holistics and sent in her samples…they suggested an enzyme supplement which she has also been taking for 4 months. The vet gave her a prescription for Flagyl which I’ve been giving to her daily. To date, no change. I am thinking about changing her food again and wonder if anyone has found a successful formula for a puppy with similar condition?
Thanks – Curtis

[Freddy w]

Hi Curtis
I’m going thru the sane thing with my German shepherds
There 4 months old
One thing that I found that helps is a product called DiaGel
It comes in a syringe without the needle
It’s not cheap
But it gets there system back in order
For a tine anyway.
I’ve tried every dog good under the sun to try to help
I’m having pretty good luck with taste of the wild venison dry dog food
My dogs dogs are worm free
You may want to try panacur for 3 days

Hope all is well
Keep us updated please

Freddy

[Naturella]

Try The Honest Kitchen’s Perfect Form – it is an herbal blend with directions on the package on how to use. Regulates tummy and stool troubles in a SNAP! I always keep at least 1 package at home for such issues.

[crazy4cats]

Hi Curtis b-
Here is a link that I found helpful when I was dealing with the same issue with my pups who are now 4-1/2 yrs old: http://www.dogaware.com. Check out the health section which includes digestive orders. There is a ton of information on my favorite subject…diarrhea! Lol!

I agree with Naturella’s suggestion of Perfect Form made by The Honest Kitchen. I still use it periodically. It has somewhat of a strong odor and most likely needs to be mixed well into your pup’s food. Pumpkin never worked for my boys. I never tried the diagel mentioned by Freddy, but I used propectalin with success. I also think FortiFlora probiotic for diarrhea is helpful. I don’t use as a maintenance probiotic, but it’s good to control loose stools.

My dogs ended up having a tough case of giardia and coccidia. Please make sure your vet is specifically testing for those parasites because they can cause intermittent loose stools. Also, very importantly, have you seen the info on what to feed large breed pups on the review side? Controlled calcium, growth and exercise are very important for their growing joints.

Also enzymes never really worked for my pups either. By the way, you can buy a lot of these recommended supps on Amazon, Healthypets, and/or Chewy.com. Good luck and check back in with what’s going on. Honestly, it took me a long time to get my pups on track. I hope it’s quicker for you!

Oops! One more thing, I think Freddy’s idea of doing a 3 to 5 day dose of Panacur dewormer is a great idea in case your pup has an undetectable parasite. It is one of the best to rid of those nasties.

[Freddy w]

Hi
I just place a order for Perfect Form
Hope that helps💔

Pumpkin didn’t really do anything

My vet put dogs on Flagyl but didn’t help

I’ll keep you updated on the Perfect Form
When it arrives

Paws crossed 😊

[Curtis B]

Thanks for the input! I’m going to try one thing at a time to try and isolate the problem…Panacur first and if that doesn’t help I will move on to the Perfect Form. I will keep everyone posted.

[Freddy w]

Your welcome Curtis

Well after do research after research
I’m trying flax seed(ground)
And I mix some with there food

Also goats milk(a little)
And it seems to help

Fiber seems to get right into there system and firm the stools right up
I’ve already seem that at least there firming up some

Try to use a little fiber with each meal for awhile 3 to 4 days
Seems to help 😊

You can get the flax seed at Walmart pharmacy area
Or online
I’m still waiting on perfect form to show up
At my door

I will update !!

[Susan]

Hi, please try a kibble that has lower protein & lower fat % around 12-15% for the fat & 25% for the protein, I bet her poos will firm up when the protein is lowered, some dogs just don’t do well on very high protein kibbles….My boy can eat a cooked meal that’s just chicken & some sweet potatoes & broccoli & zucchini & does excellent poos, give him a kibble or dehydrated food that’s over 30% protein & 15% fat & he does sloppy poos as the day goes on the poos are sloppier & does about 4-5 poos a day…..When I put him on a lower Protein & lower fat kibble his poos are excellent again & he only does 2-3 poos a day… I sometimes put Patch on the Flagyl when I change his kibble if poos are real yellow & sloppy the vet told me to put him on the Flagyl (Metronidazole) for 1 week while introducing a new food…
also ingredients try a puppy kibble with less ingredients, may be an ingredient she’s sensitive too & causing the problem… “California Natural” have a Puppy Chicken & Rice with only 6 ingredients or Lamb & Rice Large Breed with just 4 ingredients give it a try… http://www.californianaturalpet.com/products/
if the new food doesn’t work then do what Crazy For Cats said have a Giardia & Coccidia test done, I read you have to take in fresh poos over 5 days 3 different poos from different days as Giardia can be hard to detected & vets just right it off & say oh they don’t have Giardia after 1 poo sample if its negative….. I read the other day dogs can get Giardia from eating bird poo… but change the food first hope its the higher protein, that’s simple to fix, finger X then she can stop the Flagyl, its good to keep some Flagyl in the cupboard just in case it starts up again….

[Freddy w]

Yes
I’m feeding 25% Protein
And the fat is 15%

Taste of the wild grain free

[Freddy w]

For low fat and low protein try this

http://www.wag.com/dog/p/natural-balance-ultra-reduced-calorie-formula-117261?noappbanner=true&utm_source=Wag_SG&utm_medium=PDP_SG&utm_campaign=wa-sg-to-mobile&utm_term=low%20fat%20low%20protein%20dog%20food

[Freddy w]

I maybe have to go lower then that 😥

[Jenn H]

All.good suggestions.
Intestinal issues are such pain to try to figure out.

Assuming there’s no parasites or other underlying condition you could try a different protein source. Chicken can be a problem for a lot of dogs. Try turkey, fish or lamb.

It may be that she can’t handle rich foods. Like someone else said too much protein and/or fat.

It can’t hurt to try the pumpkin again. Maybe give a little more than before and w/ every meal.

When my guy was having soft stool probios & pumpkin help a lot.
Once I changed his food he hasn’t had any problems. I’ve even fed him the same protein source just a different brand.
He still gets pumpkin every day. 2-3 tbsp. He’s about 70 lbs.

[Freddy w]

Hi Jenn
I’ve been trying the perfect form
Helps some but not much

Any suggestions on food that I haven’t tried already I’d be really interested
Again there is no worms
She is very active no throwing up
She is great except watery diarrhea
Looks like a cow patty

She has been on Flagyl
Doesn’t help

💔

[Freddy w]

She is eating taste of the wild salmon
No grains

[crazy4cats]

Hi Freddy-
Did you say you have two G/S pups? Are they litter mates? We have two golden lab neutered littermates. Wow, what a handful!!!! They are 4-1/2 now, and are doing great. But we also had a rough start. Two with loose stools and diarrhea is stressful! Have you checked out the website that I mentioned earlier? I printed the whole section on digestive disorders and refer to it often! It was like a bible for a while.

http://www.dogaware.com/health/digestive.html

I used and recommend the Vetri-Probiotics BD, Gastriplex and Phytomucil. Also, I used unsweetened applesauce due to the pectin in it. Instead of pumpkin, maybe you could try sweet potato. You might want to try one of the Victor lines. I think their chicken/rice and lamb/rice both are ok for large breed pups. Their food contains montmorillonite clay which some recommend for colitis.

One of the most recommended brands on this site is Nutrisource. Their large breed puppy formula would be worth a shot as well.

Have you tried feeding a little less food to see if that helps? My dogs are doing great on Pure Vita Turkey and Peas right now, but not sure if the calcium is correct for LB pups. Best of luck to you!

[Freddy w]

Hi
Yes they are litter mates ❤️❤️
Yes thank you so much for posting that web site
Very useful Thanks
The boy pups poop is great
But hers is like a cow patty
I think I’ve tried every probiotic under the sun
Also bland diet’s
But even with the bland she still has diarrhea I just don’t get it
I’m going to try to cut back the water
And the amount of food next.
The perfect form is not working on her
I’ve also tried the sweet potato

I just can’t figure out what it could be
She is not in any pain and she plays 24/7
Non stop lol lol

Thanks again for posting the web site

Freddy

[Jenn H]

I’m actually at work so I can’t get into much right now. Just saw email so figured I’d give a quick answer.
For long term diarrhea/loose still I usually use Wysong Pet Innoculant. I have had great success with it. It’s very expensive tho. About $25 for 4 oz. That’s why I use it on an as needed basis.
I’ll get back to you later.

[Freddy w]

Hi Jenn
For some reason it look a lot better this morning
Maybe because I cut them back on there food and feed them small meals thru the Day
And I don’t leave the water out
Maybe that’s the Key

Maybe. Lol

[crazy4cats]

Good news! Hope it continues!

[Freddy w]

Thank you !
I hope so also👍

[Freddy w]

Curtis
How are you making out ?

[Denise B]

I tried the Panacur and didn’t see much change, then I started with the Perfect Form and have seen positive results, although it has only been 2 days…I’ll keep you posted.

[Freddy w]

Positive. Results that’s great !!
Yes please keep us up to date

Thanks 👍

[Jenn H]

That’s great news! Maybe his belly can only handle digesting small amounts at a time.
I would leave the water though. Understandable that you would think that could be a cause/worsen diarrhea. Actually they need it more than normal when they have the runs. They can be dehydrated. Pups and smaller dogs especially. Also water flushes out the system.
In fact I would go so far as to adding a little warm water to kibble. Rarely do I feed that dry. Any dry food will absorb fluid in the body. If the dog doesn’t drink enough that’s not good.

[crazy4cats]

Hi Guys-
Panacur is a dewormer. It wouldn’t necessarily help reduce loose stools unless your dog has them due to having worms and/or parasites. It could take a week to see the results, if indeed it is ridding your dog’s system of the pests.
Glad to hear there is some improvement!

What are you guys feeding your pups?

[Freddy w]

Must be cutting back has helped
There stools are looking better

I only feed small portions in the time now

I’m feeding them taste of the wild fish

[Jenn H]

To finally finish answering your question from yesterday…
When my pup had continued soft stool/diarrhea the probios, pumpkin helped a lot. I was also giving him about 4 oz of goat milk/day. Raw or Meyenburg. Whatever I had.
Sometimes he got soft stool from excitement. If he had a particularly busy or fun day. Sometimes he got too many treats. If he ate someone else’s food he would really get it.
Once he checked out clean I began transitioning his food. No problems since!

I would first try either a digestive enzyme or grain free food.

If neither works consider a food with a little less protein or fat. Puppies need these nutrients so try not to take them down too much. Continue with the enzyme/probio until transitioned. Then see what happens when you cut back on those supplements.

Cooked WHITE rice that can also be helpful. Save the water it was cooked in and add to food or water as well.

Some people like bone broth. I haven’t tried that. I think The Honest Kitchen also has that.

[Freddy w]

Hi Jenn
What’d on you feed your dogs?
👍On the Goats milk
I tried the rice but didn’t help any
Pumpkin help some

The taste of the wild fish is grain free
Yes honest kitchen does sell bone broth

Thank you 👍

[Author]

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