Puppy bm

[MichiH]

Don't fret! At this point on a steady diet of one thing, don't try to fix it. There's a good chance nothing is wrong, especially if she isn't acting sick. When you say loose: soft serve ice cream? puddles? can you pick it up in a poop bag? If it's that firm, I'd say it's fine. All our dogs will have mild changes day to day.

Thank you she didn’t poop after her dinner and did this am, it was regular poop, but she went twice, one after another.
It is either normal then soft serve at the very end of her bm or it’s soft serve links - if that makes sense. I can pick it up, but it leaves residue in the grass. I will say it has gotten better as the day before she was good all day.
I did call the vet they said to call next week if it continues and asked if she’s stressed. I said I don’t believe so she’s with me all day gets plenty of time to play, train, rest.

 

[Kaiser2016]

Kaiser went through a period of this too as a puppy and I would constantly wash the yard. I’m sure my stress was felt by him. He’d start out good then the stools got softer as the day wore on. I do think puppy tummies are just not very stable. Our kibble was also a high protein percent like in the 30s. Kibble also has a lot of filler which I think adds to the problem. I think the intensity of the pups energy is stressful on their systems and maybe that contributes to it too. You just have to stick with only kibble and probiotic nothing else.

 

[Katyusharocket]

I do think puppy tummies are just not very stable.

My experience with Katyusha made me think this also. I think we were using the better of the Member's Mark foods for all life stages, IIRC, and she would go through this too, softer, then harden up. Only her cycles with it were longer, think 3 days good then one day nothing but nearly runny. I think with everything going on for their physical changes as they grow and everything they are learning, new things to explore, it just can happen with some puppies. Again this was a while back but I seem to think that the runny started becoming more seldom for her around 6 months, and it never was a noteworthy, unexplained occurrence by 9 months or so. I can say from my experience with her, I will be slower to call/visit the vet for it on the next time around.

 

[MichiH]

Ok back to loose stools again. Normal in am , ok in afternoon, and super loose and multiples at night. When we were away last week Pepper had issues because she had ocean water and I assume the bison trachea I gave her. Still can’t get her back to normal and she’s been only on kibble since her beach issues.

Maybe it’s the PPP? Would anyone suggest I switch her to something else or wait a few more weeks to see if she gets back to normal?

She’s acting fine otherwise and still in heat. Could heat be a factor?

I’m just frustrated because it’s always an issue it seems with her.

She did get sick last night too very small amount and I watch her like crazy and so I’m not sure why that happened.

Thanks all!

 

[Ravenbird]

A. I don't think it's related to being in heat. When is day 21? Coming up soon I hope?
B. If she's not "sick", not hurting, not cramping etc. let it go. She's 9 months old and time for you to be still with the food switching - that in itself takes a toll on sensitive dogs.
C. Could be the bison trachea if you gave that to her within 24 - 48 hours of loose stools, keep a journal of every new treat or food eaten outside her kibble ration. Also trips can cause stress, which can present in stool solidity, or lack of.. haha.

If it's any comfort at all, I will say that if on/off soft stools are the norm for your dog, it's probably her normal. Which means no matter what you do, this is what you'll see. Biggest thing is that if she is not sick, hurting, abnormal in any other way except stool formation ((( ask yourself: If I didn't see this poop today would I think anything is wrong?))) it's unlikely that you can fix it, and may make things worse by changing diet yet again.

 

[MichiH]

A. I don't think it's related to being in heat. When is day 21? Coming up soon I hope?
B. If she's not "sick", not hurting, not cramping etc. let it go. She's 9 months old and time for you to be still with the food switching - that in itself takes a toll on sensitive dogs.
C. Could be the bison trachea if you gave that to her within 24 - 48 hours of loose stools, keep a journal of every new treat or food eaten outside her kibble ration. Also trips can cause stress, which can present in stool solidity, or lack of.. haha.

If it's any comfort at all, I will say that if on/off soft stools are the norm for your dog, it's probably her normal. Which means no matter what you do, this is what you'll see. Biggest thing is that if she is not sick, hurting, abnormal in any other way except stool formation ((( ask yourself: If I didn't see this poop today would I think anything is wrong?))) it's unlikely that you can fix it, and may make things worse by changing diet yet again.

Thank you as always @Ravenbird.

She literally can’t have any extras besides small amounts of fruit without any issue, but we are now only kibble. Now that I think of it she got cat kibble yesterday, but she’s still had loose stools on and off regardless. Ah good call with the travel and stool issues plus she had worm meds about 4 weeks ago. I feel like she’s been off since that and then got her heat shortly after and so lots of stressors.

Beef trachea I thought would be fine and we were away she’s in heat thought it would make her happy… well nope.

You’re right and thank you for the way to look at it, it if I don’t see her stools I wouldn’t be worried as she is fine. Still a bit sleepy, but today is day 21 and still bleeding/ swollen.

She also will dig and eat dirt/ grass/ sticks when she can which I assume can upset her stomach.

A month who she was 62.3 therefore she is gaining.

My worry and again thank you for calming me down

 

[remy]

How long has she been eating the PPP? Sorry if you’ve already said, I can’t remember! I’ve heard this can be too rich for some dogs. I’m assuming the protein is too high? Remy ate it until 5 or so month old and always seemed to have soft stools. It improved when I switched to another food that was lower in protein. Since then I’ve only fed foods at or under 26% protein.

 

[MichiH]

How long has she been eating the PPP? Sorry if you’ve already said, I can’t remember! I’ve heard this can be too rich for some dogs. I’m assuming the protein is too high? Remy ate it until 5 or so month old and always seemed to have soft stools. It improved when I switched to another food that was lower in protein. Since then I’ve only fed foods at or under 26% protein.

She’s been on its long time maybe 3 months or so.
It’s just weird to me her bms are normal in am then her worse as the day goes.
She woke up one night this week which she never does and had horrible diarrhea.
I am afraid to switch to make things worse, but also want this to stop for her and I.

What do you feed Remy?

 

[Katyusharocket]

Maybe it’s the PPP?

She's 9 months old and time for you to be still with the food switching - that in itself takes a toll on sensitive dogs

So, my entire career is livestock feed and I know what it is to manufacture feed pellets. The last bag of PPP I fed was one that I found an arched and off color 3 inch by 2 inch chunk of stuff that would be found in any pelleting process, but should also have never made it to the bag of food. Easily should have been filtered out but here it was in my dog's food. I threw it away and finished feeding out the bag but then transitioned to Fromm's.

But I also agree with @Ravenbird . At this age unless you find something grievous in the bag or she obviously wants to avoid it's contents, stay on the level field and keep things stable.

I assume the bison trachea I gave her

Not sure about bison trachea but the cattle ones I have bought are absolutely slathered in fat and I'd have the screamers for sure if I ate one. Not saying it's cause and effect but I would avoid or use with extreme caution.

She literally can’t have any extras besides small amounts of fruit without any issue, but we are now only kibble. Now that I think of it she got cat kibble yesterday, but she’s still had loose stools on and off regardless

Keep doing the kibble and small fruits if it works! Cat kibble I always try to keep mine away from. But, I think I mentioned before Katyusha's stomach was all over the place and I don't know if it even came close to straightening out before a year. And I can't tell you for sure when it did straighten, because....

keep a journal

I didn't keep a journal.

 

[MichiH]

Thank you @Katyusharocket!
Wow interesting about your bag of PPP that is disturbing.
Gave her an small amount of canned pumpkin last night and she was up with diarrhea in the night.

Going to not give her that again as it’s the second time she’s reacted poorly to it.

She does want to eat kibble she is always ravenous which is a good thing.

I worry about her, but really she seems to be doing fine otherwise I guess she’s just got a sensitive stomach.

 

[Katyusharocket]

She does want to eat kibble she is always ravenous which is a good thing.

I worry about her, but really she seems to be doing fine otherwise I guess she’s just got a sensitive stomach.

That's awesome she continues to have an appetite!
When I ask my vets about anything questionable for my dog's health, I most often get this question in return: "is the dog showing any signs of distress?" Usually the answer is no and I gather that for Pepper as well, so I would just keep trying to find what does work for her and when you do find it, stick with it. Also keeping in mind that puppy tummies can just be unstable.

 

[MichiH]

That's awesome she continues to have an appetite!
When I ask my vets about anything questionable for my dog's health, I most often get this question in return: "is the dog showing any signs of distress?" Usually the answer is no and I gather that for Pepper as well, so I would just keep trying to find what does work for her and when you do find it, stick with it. Also keeping in mind that puppy tummies can just be unstable.

Thank you appreciate this!

@Ravenbird and you really made me think with that one, much appreciated!

 

[MichiH]

Ok, well Pepper had a normal bm this morning. It had bedding in it… fuzzy bedding. Could this have been the culprit of her diarrhea?

She did open up her kitchen bed, I threw it out this week. Only time she can eat it is if I run upstairs or to the bathroom. I didn’t realize she had gotten so much fuzz out she only had access to it when in the kitchen.

 

[Ravenbird]

It had bedding in it… fuzzy bedding. Could this have been the culprit of her diarrhea?

Could be... better than a blockage, but do keep an eye out for more that may not have come down the pike...

I'm seeing so much of Dobermans swallowing Not-foods it's pretty distressing. Yet another thing that didn't seem to be prevalent in the breed. If my dog ever swallowed one thing that was not food I'd muzzle every minute that I couldn't watch. Seems like trouble but it's the cheapest form of insurance you can buy. Once they get use to a muzzle they don't seem bothered by it anymore than wearing a collar.

 

[MichiH]

Could be... better than a blockage, but do keep an eye out for more that may not have come down the pike...

I'm seeing so much of Dobermans swallowing Not-foods it's pretty distressing. Yet another thing that didn't seem to be prevalent in the breed. If my dog ever swallowed one thing that was not food I'd muzzle every minute that I couldn't watch. Seems like trouble but it's the cheapest form of insurance you can buy. Once they get use to a muzzle they don't seem bothered by it anymore than wearing a collar.

She’s running around like a nut job so she appears to be fine. Last bm was diarrhea last night before her recent one with stuffing in it.

I know as a child we did have 1 Doberman when I was 12, Harley, who ate stuff that wasn’t food. He was stressful. He would go into the litter box and one time he found razor cartridges that were in the trash

Muzzle is a great idea it ensures safety. I thought I watched her pretty well, but apparently not. She’s down to zero beds and bedding now.

I hope she grows out of this nonsense. Fingers crossed bms are normal and she passed it all.

Thanks again @Ravenbird

 

[remy]

She’s been on its long time maybe 3 months or so.
It’s just weird to me her bms are normal in am then her worse as the day goes.

Does she typically get any treats or chews in the afternoon? I’m wondering if that contributes at all.

What do you feed Remy?

I know this will be an unpopular choice/opinion here lol, but I feed him Hills Perfect Digestion (the salmon version). It wasn’t a brand I previously considered but it’s seriously the best thing I’ve fed him!

(Timeline of things may be a little off, I’m trying my best to remember lol!) He was weaned onto PPP 30/20 chicken & rice and ate that for a few months. His stools were soft more often than not. Around that time he was starting to knuckle over slightly (usually caused by high protein), so his breeder recommend I switch to an adult food and feed a few bags of Wellness Complete Health deboned chicken & oatmeal recipe. Stools were mostly better with that and the knuckling did improve quickly! I did decided to stop feeding that after maybe 4-5 bags. I didn’t like that peas were quite high up in the ingredients. I then fed Open Farm (can’t remember which formula) for about 5-6 weeks. Stools were slightly better than PPP, but still not consistently normal. That was when I decided to switch to what he’s currently eating and within days things were consistently normal!

As others have said, this may just be Pepper’s “normal”. If she is otherwise healthy and has good energy, I wouldn’t worry too much, although I know it can be frustrating!

Just as an example, I know it’s normal for Remy to have soft stools for a day or two following a long drive. I give him Pro-Pectalin starting the day of and that has helped a lot! If he had soft stools any other time (especially if more than once) I would question if it’s something he ate, if he was sick, etc…

 

[MichiH]

Does she typically get any treats or chews in the afternoon? I’m wondering if that contributes at all.

I know this will be an unpopular choice/opinion here lol, but I feed him Hills Perfect Digestion (the salmon version). It wasn’t a brand I previously considered but it’s seriously the best thing I’ve fed him!

(Timeline of things may be a little off, I’m trying my best to remember lol!) He was weaned onto PPP 30/20 chicken & rice and ate that for a few months. His stools were soft more often than not. Around that time he was starting to knuckle over slightly (usually caused by high protein), so his breeder recommend I switch to an adult food and feed a few bags of Wellness Complete Health deboned chicken & oatmeal recipe. Stools were mostly better with that and the knuckling did improve quickly! I did decided to stop feeding that after maybe 4-5 bags. I didn’t like that peas were quite high up in the ingredients. I then fed Open Farm (can’t remember which formula) for about 5-6 weeks. Stools were slightly better than PPP, but still not consistently normal. That was when I decided to switch to what he’s currently eating and within days things were consistently normal!

As others have said, this may just be Pepper’s “normal”. If she is otherwise healthy and has good energy, I wouldn’t worry too much, although I know it can be frustrating!

Just as an example, I know it’s normal for Remy to have soft stools for a day or two following a long drive. I give him Pro-Pectalin starting the day of and that has helped a lot! If he had soft stools any other time (especially if more than once) I would question if it’s something he ate, if he was sick, etc…

She doesn’t get anything as of lately and that’s why I’m confused. Unless, this was all the bed stuffing she ate. I’m upset I missed that and now it makes sense. I left briefly to use the bathroom and caught her eating it a few days ago.

Thank you for detailing what you and Remy went though. I do appreciate it.

We use PPP I know it’s not a top choice either, but it seemed to sort of work lol. I do think she does have a sensitive stomach, as anything I’ve given her besides fruit and furry cows ear seem to be ok with her. I’ll keep the food options open if we can’t seem to rectify this after a year.

I will look into the pro pectalin as well, thank you! We travel often and I’d prefer to not mess her belly up each time.

Appreciate it @remy thanks!!!

 

[Kaiser2016]

Damn, 5 pages of poop nightmares! I feel your pain!

Although I prefer not to medicate Kaiser unless absolutely necessary, I do keep this stuff on hand: Metronidazole Works Like Magic in Dogs - Whole Dog Journal
In particular, if his stool isn't perfect and we cannot chance an accident overnight (like in a hotel), then I resort to this. It is cheap and you only need to give a little bit. One pill is too much for Kaiser, it will constipate him, so I give him a third of a pill. Even half is too much. The stuff is powerful. The next day, I typically do not need to give anymore. In the unlikely scenario that his next stool is still not perfect, then I may consider giving another even smaller dose just to get through the night.

At home, this is my go-to treatment: Chicken Meaty Bones - Carnivora
I take one patty and let it thaw just enough to cut it up. Because of the high bone content, you need to give very little. I give 1/8th of a patty at the first sign of loose stools and it usually does the trick. I don't think you need to buy a box worth, just the 4lb bag will do because a little goes a long way.

 

[remy]

We use PPP I know it’s not a top choice either, but it seemed to sort of work lol.

Most important is that it works well for your dog!

 

[MichiH]

Calling the vet today once again. We were up every 2-3 hours due to Pepper having diarrhea. She woke me 2x this week with diarrhea and last night was 5x. Waking at night stopped for her at 4 months. Otherwise she is acting normal!
I’m worried she has a blockage, but she did have a normal bm yesterday with the bedding fuzz in it.
Making her chicken and rice now just to help her stomach settle.
When she woke this am for the day she did not have a bm, which has been the case the past few days after she had diarrhea at night.
Unless she has some parasite infection which would be much easier to treat.
Wish us luck I’m worried about her.