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Old dog- hard stools

  • 18-02-2018 3:54pm
    #1
    Renno123
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 338 ✭✭


    Hi guys. I have a very old pom mix. She is 18. I have recently noticed her stools are very dry and hard.
    She is on eden dog food.
    In the short term I will be soaking her food before hand. Are there other things I can try?


Comments

  • #2
    aonb
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,277 ✭✭✭aonb


    since shes an elderly girl, I would maybe move her from DRY food, to wet or home cooked. Being a pom, shes probably got a small appetite, so you could easily homecook for her. Gradually introduce the new food so that it doesnt bother her tummy. Is she drinking enough?? Are these hard stools a new thing - maybe monitor her drinking to be sure shes doing ok.

    You could boil up some chicken, brown rice, vegtables (sweet potato, carrots, bit of broc, green beans - any veg you have in the freezer even) Roughly mash everything - chop the chicken etc. Make it nice and 'soupy'.

    Alternatively there are lots of good quality wet foods available. Pouches are handy for small breeds. Again, remember to introduce any new food gradually.

    You could add in the interim a tin of sardines/mackeral etc to her diet - mash it up with her dry food.


  • #3
    Renno123
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 338 ✭✭Renno123


    Thanks for that.
    I'll try adding water to her dry kibble and see if that softens them.
    She has early stage liver failure so she drinks a lot of water.
    If that doesn't work I'll try the sardines. I'm going to keep her on the Eden dog food as she has done very well on it


  • #4
    aonb
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,277 ✭✭✭aonb


    If she has liver disease, which as you no doubt know, is very common in elderly dogs, you probably need to check on her protein intake - is Eden high in protein? - before making any dietary changes.

    I would definitely discuss with your vet, her dry/hard stools in the light of her liver disease. Any changes like stool changes in an elderly dog, and especially in a very elderly dog with liver issues I'd be discussing with your vet.

    Have to take major care with the elderly ones - being extra precious.


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