Runny Stools

[kimsettle]

Hi, My rottie Brooke is 11 weeks and ever since we have had her she has had runny stools. We haven't changed her dog food. She eats pedigree puppy. Should I switch to a diff food could that be the problem?.

[brunie's mom]

It could be the food? it could be worms? Have you had her checked for worms?? This is often the cause for pups having runny stools.

Pedigree is not considered a good quality food. The main ingredients is corn and there are alot of poor quality by-products.

I would get your pup on a better quality food...but remember you will have to feed much less good food. Pedigree often gives dog big, yellow, loose stools...very common.

Read some of the threads in the Nutrition& Grooming forum...about the different food.

I raised my pup on Canidae. www.canidae.com
It's an All-Life Stages food, and if you go to their website you will find the store locator closest to you. It is often sold in smaller mom&pop petfood stores or feed stores or pet boutiques.

Just stay away from anyfood that is sold in grocery stores or big box stores such as Walmart...always poor quality.

Gina

[Judi W]

Although the food may or may not be an issue, runny stools in pups are most often the result of cocci, giardia or worms. You need a complete fecal exam and proper treatment for general health.

[al9072a]

my puppy Locke is now 15 wks, but he had the exact same problem when i got him.

he had worms, which i gave him medicine for, and i was feeding him purina, which also has a lot of corn filler, which dogs can't digest well.

once he got over the worms, his stools still did not firm up.

the cure was switching foods. i went to nutro max for puppies, which isn't as expensive as top brands, and you can get it at any petsmart or petco, and it worked almost immediately. now he's doing great, his coat is shinier, his bathroom schedule is much more predictable, and cleaning up after he defecates is much easier.

[brunie's mom]

Nutro Max Puppy food still has alot of corn and grains. Better to switch to the Nutro Natural brand. I would not be feeding puppy food to a large breed puppy...I would be feeding a Large Breed Puppy food or an All Life Stages food or a good quality Adult food. They often grow too fast on puppy food, and can have problems with joints, ligaments and bones while they grow.


Here are the ingredients for Nutro Max Puppy food:
Ingredients
Chicken Meal, Corn Gluten Meal, Wheat Flour, Poultry Fat (preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a source of natural Vitamin E), Ground Rice, Rice Bran, Dried Beet Pulp (sugar removed), Whole Wheat, Lamb Meal, Natural Flavors, Potassium Chloride, Brewers Dried Yeast, Lecithin, Choline Chloride, Dried Buttermilk, Dried Egg Product, Dried Kelp (source of Iodine), Magnesium Oxide, Vitamin E Supplement, Iron Sulfate, Biotin, Ascorbic Acid (source of Vitamin C), Iron Oxide, Zinc Oxide, Manganous Oxide, Niacin, Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement (source of Vitamin B2), Vitamin A Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (source of Vitamin B6), Sodium Selenite, Thiamine Mononitrate (source of Vitamin B1), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Copper Oxide, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (source of Vitamin K activity), Calcium Iodate, Folic Acid.
Nutro supports the safe, ethical and humane treatment of all animals, including those used by our suppliers who provide our ingredients.

Guaranteed Analysis
Crude Protein (minimum) 28.00%
Crude Fat (minimum) 17.00%
Crude Fiber (maximum) 4.00%
Moisture (maximum) 10.00%
Linoleic Acid (minimum) 3.50%
Ascorbic Acid (minimum)* 35.0 mg/kg
*Not recognized as an essential nutrient by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles.

Gina

[kimsettle]

Thanks so much for the input. I just got off the phone with our vet and he said that I should start with a puppy food that has MEAT as its first ingredient.

Yes she had a fecal for worms and everything turned out fine. She has been given nemex and strongid. She is already started on Heart Guard for heart worms. I feel like the sooner the better.

I am forsure now that its the food. I did use nutro with our dobie puppy and it made him sick. The vet suggested Science Diet for large breed puppys.

I will change her food and see what happens. Thanks again for the insight.

[al9072a]

yes--nutro max puppy still isn't top of the line but it has worked a lot better than purina and fits my budget.

there's a fair amount of debate on these forums about whether large breed food is better or worse than regular, all-size puppy food.

my vet recommends the large breed food, but specifically says that using the regular won't lead to any physical problems. however, he says, if the puppy grows too fast because its on regular food it can be painful for him/her, at the time. but since my puppy doesn't seem to be growing too fast (30 lbs at 15 weeks), i'm not so worried about that for now.

[al9072a]

i've heard good things about science diet. good luck w/ it all.

[brunie's mom]

Originally Posted by al9072a

i've heard good things about science diet. good luck w/ it all.

Sorry but Science Diet is an awful food...many of us here call is Science Death or Cancer in a Bag.

Most vet's recommend Science Diet because they sell it. They make good money selling it. Also the vet's are taught their nutrition courses by Hill's representatives. The vet's are given incentives to sell this food...Hill's offers free pet food to the vet students.

There are many, many better foods that cost less or just a bit more that Science Diet. Foods that use human grade meats and ingredients.

I also am not a believer in Large Breed Puppy foods. I just raised my pup to the age of 19 months and he has never had a mouthful of puppy food.
He ate Canidae www.canidae.com and also Innova www.naturapet.com
Go to the Innova website and do a dogfood comparrison.
It will open your eyes.

Many vet's have never heard of the better quality foods....but I'm sure if you print out the ingredients list of a good food they will agree.....that it is much better than Science Diet, Pedigree,etc.

Gina

[kimsettle]

Thanks so much. I have heard alot of good things about the canidae foods. Gonna go order my first bag now. If I can order online. I am not so sure that our feed stores will have it here.

[al9072a]

yes, i stand corrected on science diet.

[kimsettle]

I called the nearest pet store to us that sales the canidae and its a 35 minute drive from here. 40.00 for a 40 pound bag. If I buy 80lbs I get 5.00 off.

She was also telling me about the nutro but not the nutro max but the nutro natural I think is what she called it. I asked abut the Eukenubia and she said NO that they are still using alot of by products. So, I think Brooke and I are gonna take a ride to the pet store and see what we can find. Its time for her to get a new toy anyway.

Its wonderful when we can spoil our babies and they still know who the alpha dog is which is ME .....Thanks so much

[krazie2004]

OMG... i am currently having the same problem with my 13 week old pup. i was feeding it pedegree puppy but most of it came out undigested in her poo. now im giving her science plan puppy, but after reading this thread i think that i wall get candai (sp?) anyone know is its available in the UK or any other good foods in the UK? thanks. btw we ae giving her worming tablets but she still got runny poo... could i be worms?

[kimsettle]

I switched to the canidae. What a difference . Her stools are firm and ALOT less of them. . But,her stools are a dark color. Could that be something I should check with the vet about?.

[brunie's mom]

Originally Posted by kimsettle

I switched to the canidae. What a difference . Her stools are firm and ALOT less of them. . But,her stools are a dark color. Could that be something I should check with the vet about?.

NO...LOL I would not be worried about the darker stools. It's normal on Canidae...because of all of the meat contents of the food.

The Pedigree is all corn...that's why the big, yellow stools.

Just remember you must feed less on Canidae....it goes per weight and pups eat more..the guide on the back of the bag is pretty accurate.

If you are paying $40. per 40lb bag..you are lucky....I pay about $59. + tax.
I think a dollar a pound for excellent human grade food is good.

Hope she continues to do well.

Gina