[tkjoneshi]

I need HELP! I have a 5 1/2yr old french bulldog who has congenital disabilities. His back legs do not support his weight, but he has feeling in them and they move constantly (but he does not control the movement). He is very mobile and “scoots” around on his rear end……Herein lies the problem. He cannot hold himself up to poop and has moderate control of his bowel movements. I have mastered the “poop on command” technique, but am thoroughly exhausted at the frequency and the accidents indoors when he is slightly off schedule or I miss a cue from him. (We have been trying to manage his bowel movements for 5 1/2 years now). I recently heard about “low waste” dog foods. The idea that I could feed him a dog food that would provide excellent nutrition and less waste sounds too good to be true. Are there really any dog foods out there that fit this bill? Any guidance woud be sooooo appreciated.

[Melissaandcrew]

Better quality foods result in lower output of waste, but there is no food that specifically cuts own on waste produced. A low residue diet is a type of prescription diet that is easier for a dog with certain medical issues to digest. Your dog needs a cart so that he is more independent and you can have less stress.

[tkjoneshi]

We have tried 2 carts, but his rear legs involuntarily jerk almost constantly. It causes the cart to bounce and jerk around. He upended one of them. 🙁 I talked to my vet. While he didn’t recommend a specific food, he basically said the same thing about the food.

[Melissaandcrew]

Hmm…If you still have the cart(s), I would have someone take a look at it and what happens when he is using it-like someone with an engineering background.. If he is up ending the cart, there has to be some way to balance it out(think training wheels). Perhaps some sort of “pole” on either side preventing it from rolling over. ..or even weight it down to some degree to stop the bouncing..Poor guy! and poor you! Its got to be stressful for all involved.

[pugmomsandy]

A raw diet will result in smaller, solid, less stinky waste! My raw fed dog’s stool is probably around the size of a nickel – or like small bird eggs.

[sisu]

I have a 7 year old who is a spinal walking paraplegic. He has no feeling from the waist down. He can walk due to muscle memory which 10-15% of dogs maintain. There is limited bladder and bowel control. Although the conditions are different our goals in waste management may be the same.

Grain inclusive foods result in big fluffy poop. Grain free with the highest meat content and lowest carbs give the best results when feeding kibble. With a balanced raw diet there is barely any waste. Therefore, the poop is very small, ring finger to little finger size. If Prey Model Raw (PMR) is not an option consider premade raw with the highest meat content. After 5 years of trial and error I have found that EVO Herring and Salmon kibble works very well. As almost a contradiction to my high meat, low carb, low fiber rule Blue Buffalo Wilderness Salmon also results in small size poop. I suspect it may be due to the digestibility of the menhaden fish meal. Of the two brands EVO poop is smaller. Some companies will send free samples. Use the contact link on their websites to make the request.

I feed as close to 6 am and 6 pm as possible. There are very few treats given. Rewards are enthusiastic chin scratches and lots of happy, verbal praise. By restricting the frequency of food going in I can predict that poop will happen an hour to and hour and a half after each meal. Exercise will cause him to poop sooner rather than later. Anal stimulation either by lightly touching around the outside of the anus or using a KY jelly lubricated thermometer inserted into the rectum with some slight movement will cause him to poop a couple of hours sooner than expected. Although I have rarely used either of these methods they are useful for getting things back on schedule. If used frequently poop on demand becomes the schedule rather than allowing his natural digestion to establish a schedule.

Below is a list of meat protein in various brands of kibble that I have collected from the ‘net. I have not fed these brands. Although I trust the sources of the information I cannot guarantee it.

Dr. Tim’s Momentum 35/25, 96%
Native Level 4, 35/25, 93%
Diamond Extreme Athlete, 93%
Inukshuk 32/32, 95%
Annamet should be 90+%. Specific amt. is not known.
Orijen 82%
Horizon Legacy 80%
Instinct 70%.
Merrick grain free 70%

I am unsure if the constant leg movement your boy has are muscle spasms. If so, daily muscle massage of the legs and along the spine similar to Tellington Touch, gentle repetitive bicycle movement, and flexing the leg joints and toes may help. All is done slowly. Stop if there is a spasm. Resume when the muscles relax. After 2 years of daily massage/flexing therapy Connor has no spasms.

If your dog is being treated by a general vet I would suggest a visit to a veterinary neurologist or neurosurgeon. Not for surgery but to evaluate and treat the current condition. For example, there is medication that can help with muscle spasms. Also, if it is in the budget, professional physical therapy can help with lingering issues. If the carts were not professionally fitted a neurologist or physical therapist may be able to resolve the current problems.

If interested in raw feeding:
http://preymodelraw.com/how-to-get-started/
http://puppybutt.weebly.com/uploads/7/6/9/2/7692088/beginners_guide_to_prey_model_raw_rv.4.1.pdf

The Paralysis: Neurological and IVDD forum is very helpful and informative.
http://www.handicappedpet.net/helppets/

I hope some of this helps.

[tkjoneshi]

@ Sisu: I can’t even begin to thank you enough for the information. I didn’t know where to begin. Even though some of your techniques and tips have been in use in my home for years, there is definately new information here. I have always strictly controlled what goes into his mouth and when. I look forward to exploring the links you posted! Thank you again for the information.

[pugmomsandy]

Have you considered acupuncture? Two fosters (not mine) are improving with this therapy. I thought one would need a cart but he is doing great!

[Anonymous]

I love hearing about all you wonderful pet parents! If I am depressed, I just come to the forums here and I feel good about humans again. God Bless you all!

[Julia L]

sisu – thank you for the great info! My 4 month Maltese is on Orjen and it is grain free and really high quality from what I can tell. But I was thinking she sure poops a lot! This morning she pooped 3 times from 6 am to 9 am. So I started googling it and I found this thread. Her stools are fine, they just are often. Do you have any suggestions as to why she is so going so frequently? And do you have an opinion as to which is better -Orgen or Evo ?
Thanks 😉

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