puppys poo is always soft/sloppy

rottie 11

He is 4 months old, he gets nuts 3 times a day and nuts with raw steak mince once a day. I was mixing the odd can of fish with his nuts if i was out of meat but the last month its just been the nuts and meat. Sometimes his sh!t is solid but its mostly soft or gooey its hard to explain tbh . Im startin to thnk its the meat?

aonb

What brand of nuts are you feeding? The meat is a natural product, so shouldnt be causing him any problems, Id look first at the quality and contents of your dry food

tk123

They say you're not supposed to mix raw meat and dry food because of the different digestion times...but at the same time I read somewhere that that's a myth(!). Could you be over feeding him - that would upset his tummy and affect his poo? Failing that it could be that the food you're feeding him isn't agreeing with him. There's plenty of food threads to find ideas on a better quality food that might suit him better than GAIN - you've a few open yourself with suggestions from everyone?

andreac

What brand of dry food is it?

Also as someone else said you shouldn't mix raw and dry in the one meal as they are digested at different rates.

rottie 11

Its gain nuts . Ok i wil try giving him the raw meat seperate from now on. I dont think i am over feeding him although sometimes he wont look at his food so maybe?

rottie 11

Ya tk123 i have a thread about dog food alrite but i dont think its the nuts for some reason.

andreac

Try feeding them separately and see how it goes or maybe just try feeding the dry for the moment and leave out the meat altogether and see does it get better.

If it does then it could be the raw meat causing it.

rottie 11

andreac wrote: »

Try feeding them separately and see how it goes or maybe just try feeding the dry for the moment and leave out the meat altogether and see does it get better.

If it does then it could be the raw meat causing it.

Ya i think i wil stop the raw meat for a few days and see if it helps. If not then it must be the nuts

rottie 11

This is the full ingredients of the gain nuts i feed him

Dried chicken and turkey (min 27%)Rice (min 20%)Wholegrain maze, dehulled oats, poultry fat , maize gluten, sugar beet pulp, fish meal, chicken gravy, egg, linseed, fish oil , sodium chloride, fructooligosaccharides (0.3%)Trucal milk mineral complex, glucosamine hci (300mg/kg), methylsulphonylmethane(300mg/kg MSM).Products from processing of plantsCrude protein 27%Crude oils and fats 14%Crude fibre 2.5%Crude ash 7.9%Calcium 1.5%Phosphorous 1.1%Omega 3 fats 0.8%Omega 6 fats 3.8%

What ye think?

Prisoner6409

I have the very same issue with my 12 wk old springer spaniel. When I took delivery of him at about 6 weeks his poop was pretty solid. The breeder had him on Red Mills puppy(or RM 27???). When I took him home I had him on Gain and within a week and a half his poop was gone softish or plain sloppy. Tended to be softish but formed in the morning but as the day wore on it got sloppy. He is 12 wks old now and I have since been trying to put this right and nothing has changed much except for a 48hr period he had pure diarrhoea , literally squirting liquid, I starved him for 24 hrs to fix this. I now have him back on the Red Mills puppy and hopefully this will work but I have been told that several things can cause this, the change of food, environment and daily routine. I am going to stick with the red mills puppy and see how he gets on. The problem is he tends to eat anything he finds when we are out walking in the park, deer poop, horse poop, snails at night in the garden and even mushrooms that grow out the back garden so it's kinda impossible to narrow it down. I do of course try and keep an eye on him but he gets the better of me sometimes. I have met lots of other dog owners while out with my pup and most have had similar issues from time to time. I hope I can get it right as I feel for the poor puppy even though it does not seem to affect his spirit at all. Any tips gratefully received.

rottie 11

Maybe it is the gain food seeing as we both use it and both our pups have the same prob?

My pup is the same, tries to eat everything he finds on the ground. I stop him 90% of the time but sometimes im too late

tk123

It could be that the beef mince is too fatty/rich for him too. If you leave that out and find he improves without it maybe try a different protein source like chicken?

rottie 11

tk123 wrote: »

It could be that the beef mince is too fatty/rich for him too. If you leave that out and find he improves without it maybe try a different protein source like chicken?

Im not goin to use it for few days and see if he improves . I was thinkin of chicken alrite? Like chicken fillets maybe?

tk123

You could try chicken fillets or chicken legs - the bones are soft so would be fine for him. If all goes well with the chicken then you could get some from slaney or dogsfirst and save a few €€s!

rottie 11

Whats slaney and dogsfirst? I think my local butcher would do a deal if i bought in bulk . I would cook the chicken tho , wouldnt gve it raw

tk123

They're raw food suppliers that you can buy in bulk from. If you're cooking then don't give any cuts with bones - raw bones are fine but cooked will splinter. It'll cost you a fortune though if you're feeding him fillets from the butchers. Maybe buy a whole chicken or trays of legs to cook and strip the meat off the bones? Why cook the chicken though if you were happy to feed raw beef?

rottie 11

I read somewhere that dogs can get samenela from raw chicken and eggs?

tk123

Raw chicken and eggs are fine. Obviously you need to handle and store it like you would if you were going to eat it yourself. So don't leave it sitting out, don't refreeze unless it was defrosted in the fridge etc etc

andreac

rottie 11 wrote: »

Whats slaney and dogsfirst? I think my local butcher would do a deal if i bought in bulk . I would cook the chicken tho , wouldnt gve it raw

Dont give cooked bones to dogs!! You can feed raw, its perfectly safe and very good for them. Dont ever give cooked bones to dogs.

rottie 11

andreac wrote: »

Dont give cooked bones to dogs!! You can feed raw, its perfectly safe and very good for them. Dont ever give cooked bones to dogs.

I dont give him any bones

rottie 11

tk123 wrote: »

Raw chicken and eggs are fine. Obviously you need to handle and store it like you would if you were going to eat it yourself. So don't leave it sitting out, don't refreeze unless it was defrosted in the fridge etc etc

So raw chick fillets 100% ok ? Is it better raw than cooked

andreac

rottie 11 wrote: »

I dont give him any bones

Raw bones are actually very good for them. You can feed chicken wings, drumsticks etc raw. You will be broke feeding chicken fillets.

Demonical

andreac wrote: »

Raw bones are actually very good for them. You can feed chicken wings, drumsticks etc raw. You will be broke feeding chicken fillets.

Be careful with chicken wings especially if it's a larger breed dog or a dog that gulps its food. I have an alsation cross and a jack russel, the smaller gets wings but I wouldn't give to the Alsation (she gets legs) in case she tries swallowing without chewing properly and they get stuck in her mouth/throat.

Demonical

rottie 11 wrote: »

So raw chick fillets 100% ok ? Is it better raw than cooked

Either raw or cooked is fine, it can be a personal preference really but as mentioned, raw bones are good for your dog -they clean their teeth for one. Raw is also a lot easier to feed, if you cook it you have to pull off the meat and discard the bones, fillets obviously dont fall into this category. I found mine were putting on weight when the chicken was cooked when fed the same quantity as they were raw so be careful of that too.

I'm sure you know but always introduce a new food gradually - increasing the amount of the new while reducing the amount of the old over a few days.

rottie 11

Thanks for all the comments. He is just gettin dry nuts for the next few days and if the poo is stil the same its obviously not the mince doing it to him. Il look into changing to some kind of chicken if it is the mince causing it.

rottie 11

Ok so for the last week he has been getting dry nuts only, it improved but its still not right . If he had to hold it for 2 long would it cause it to b soft?

andreac

No, that shouldnt make it soft.

If he has only been on the nuts then its obv the nuts that are causing it. So maybe its time to try out a different one.

When you say hold it for too long, how long are you talking about? How old is the pup now?

rottie 11

It has improved alot tho since i just gave him nuts, ah nt lng realy , maybe hes alone 4 2 hours max sumtimes. He is just over 4 months nw

DBB

Rottie 11, would you mind not using text speak when you're posting, as it makes it difficult for others to read.
Thanks.
DBB

With mod hat off, I have a German Shep whose poop becomes soft if she gets very wound up before a walk, it's fine at all other times. I don't know if this might apply to your dog, but if not, and his poops are still a bit runny, then there's a problem with the food, or his response to the food.

rottie 11

Sorry about the text typing. Ya its probably the nuts, i will have a look in petmania later for new nuts

andreac

rottie 11 wrote: »

Sorry about the text typing. Ya its probably the nuts, i will have a look in petmania later for new nuts

Try and go for the best you can afford and as much meat in it as possible. Stay away from anything that has grain or derivitives as the first or main ingredient.

rottie 11

andreac wrote: »

Try and go for the best you can afford and as much meat in it as possible. Stay away from anything that has grain or derivitives as the first or main ingredient.

Ok thanks. But should i give him another few days on these nuts as there was a big improvement since i took him off the meat?

andreac

rottie 11 wrote: »

Ok thanks. But should i give him another few days on these nuts as there was a big improvement since i took him off the meat?

How long has he been on just nuts? If you are certain that hes improving a lot then you could give him another few days but i wouldnt leave it too much longer.

rottie 11

andreac wrote: »

How long has he been on just nuts? If you are certain that hes improving a lot then you could give him another few days but i wouldnt leave it too much longer.

Its been 7 or 8 days, it is improving but sometimes i noticed that the first half of his poo is solid and then turns soft all of a sudden

aonb

if your puppy is on ONLY nuts, and he's got very soft stools, it would suggest that the nuts you are feeding him are not agreeing with him... If he were mine, I would be looking at buying a small bag of the best quality nuts you can afford (endless discussions on the topic here), and try him on those (after introducing the new feed slowly/carefully and giving him time on them to assess his reaction)

It may be that your puppy has a sensitivity which is another discussion. Im an advocate of home-cooked myself (others on here are raw fed fans - pro's and con's to both) an alternative to commercial kibbles, and worth trying - boil veg, meat or fish, potatos or brown rice in a big pot enough for a few days - again introduced slowly and give him time to see if it improves matters.

If he does have a sensitivity things wont change overnight, so patience and more patience to find what suits him will be in order. Good luck.

muddypaws

You may also simply be overfeeding him, which could indicate why his poos have hardened up a bit by taking the meat out. Are you going by the guidelines on the packet? Remember that they are only guidelines, each dog is different.

rottie 11

Im goin to give him another few days before i change food, thinking about burns, fairly expenisive tho . Not sure if i can afford it

Nody

rottie 11 wrote: »

Im goin to give him another few days before i change food, thinking about burns, fairly expenisive tho . Not sure if i can afford it

Don't go for Burns; it's overpriced if you look what goes into it.

Contains:
Chicken Meal (30%), Brown Rice (21%), White Rice (21%), Oats, Peas, Chicken Oil, Beet Pulp, Sunflower Oil, Seaweed, Vitamins & Minerals.

That's 42% rice at 4 EUR per kilo; compared to 4.72 EUR per kilo for Taste of the Wild containing this (which you'd also feed less of due to higher quality):

Salmon, ocean fish meal, sweet potatoes, potatoes, peas, pea protein, rapeseed oil, tomato pomace, smoked salmon, salmon meal, natural flavour, salmon oil (a source of DHA), salt, choline chloride, mixed tocopherols (a natural preservative and source of vitamin E), dried chicory root, yucca schidigera extract, tomatoes, blueberries,...

Or Markus Muhle Black Angus Junior at 3.60 EUR per kilo

Ground dried Black Angus meat (20.2%), ground brown wholegrain rice, ground dried duck meat (9.1%), ground wholegrain corn, ground dried herring (5.6%), ground millet, ground amaranth, fresh green herbs, linseed, dried algae mix, herring oil, cold pressed vegetable oil mix, beet pulp, gelatine, dry peat (2%), dried ground yucca schidigera, fennel seeds, dried blueberries, powdered egg yolk, siliceous earth (1.5%), muscle meat extract from green-lipped mussels (1.5%), green mineral soil (1.5%), sea mollusc protein from green-lipped mussels (1%).

Or Nutrivet Instinct and growth (4.33 EUR per kilo):

Chicken (min. 30%), lamb (min. 11%), turkey (min. 10%), potatoes, peas, chicken oil and fat (min. 9%), dried salmon (min. 5%), whole eggs (min. 4%), dried chicken meat (min. 4%), dried lamb (min. 4%), dried pea protein, salmon oil (min. 3%), beet pulp, green beans, sweet potatoes, tomatoes,...

Making sure your puppy eats correctly and grow properly is going to make a huge difference for the life of the dog; it's an investment that will pay itself back over the dog's life in vet bills and what not so don't skimp on doing it correctly.

Forgot to add; all price comparisons done based on Zooplus.ie and 12/15kg bags.

rottie 11

Maybe taste of the wild so? My gf brother uses it on his husky , how long does delivery take from zooplus?

rottie 11

Cut down his food today and i must say it did him good, all solid poop all day. Maybe i was overfeeding him? He vomited while ago tho? not sure why but hes im good form anyway.

muddypaws

rottie 11 wrote: »

Cut down his food today and i must say it did him good, all solid poop all day. Maybe i was overfeeding him? He vomited while ago tho? not sure why but hes im good form anyway.

Yep, most times pups with diarrohea is caused by overfeeding. When was the last time you fed him? When their stomachs are empty, it can actually make them vomit, but it tends to be just bile.

rottie 11

muddypaws wrote: »

Yep, most times pups with diarrohea is caused by overfeeding. When was the last time you fed him? When their stomachs are empty, it can actually make them vomit, but it tends to be just bile.

I fed him just before 9, the vomit was his nuts all mushed up and when i brought him out to toilet there it was soft again. Im changing his food anyway cos its not fair on him

muddypaws

Have you had him checked over at the vets?

rottie 11

muddypaws wrote: »

Have you had him checked over at the vets?

No not yet , will be bringin him down early next week hopefully. My vet is kinda weird thou , like he kinda brushes things off sayin its normal etc. Will bring him down anyway and see what he says

rottie 11

http://m.zooplus.ie/shop/dogs/dry_dog_food/markus_muehle/markus_muehle_black_angus/380223

Which one of these junior foods is the right one?

rottie 11

Hes been on black angus now for 2 weeks, just the nuts and its stil the same . Im worried now , time for the vet i tink

maggiepip

You should try giving her probiotics, not the human ones they dont have the correct ingredients for dog, but a dog one. I swear by Pet Dophulis by Jarrow which you can buy from iherb online, if you order by courier you'll have them in a few days at a cost under 20 euro. Its a powder you can mix into a small bit of wet food or something similar. I use this one for my dog who has a sensitive tummy and its absolutely brilliant, its certainly worth a try.

jimf

one of my springers a few years back she was nearly 22 weeks at the time and had an issue just like yours

my vet advised a week of a probiotic type paste given 2 times daily as he said some dogs can take a while for their digestive systems to kick in but usually not at her age it seemed to work with her

but then again if your vet is not attentive enough to your concerns get a second opinion

high protein levels from the wrong source can play havoc with some dogs stomachs

rottie 11

Ya maybe will look into them probiotic things. He isnt getting any protein bar whats in the nuts

andreac

rottie 11 wrote: »

Ya maybe will look into them probiotic things. He isnt getting any protein bar whats in the nuts

Are you feeding him anything else at all apart from the nuts? Milk etc?

rottie 11

andreac wrote: »

Are you feeding him anything else at all apart from the nuts? Milk etc?

Nope nothing atal only the nuts.

He doesnt eat them either sometimes. Was thinking would it be better to feed bigger meals twice a day rather than smaller one 3 times?