[Robert L]

Have a 8 month old large breed puppy that has had very loose stools, diarrhea problems for last 4-5 months. He was on Nutrena Loyall Large Breed Puppy food when we got him was Ok until he was about 5 months old, then started having loose stools. Switched to Science Diet Large Breed Puppy it helped a little, but after a month back to very loose stools and diarrhea, put on IBD meds for 1 month still loose stools, Vet switched to Science diet ID Digestive two weeks ago, not much difference. Puppy does seem to be high strung and very anxious. Is there anybody out there that has gone thru this or can help trying to find a puppy food or other suggestions that may help! Thanks for your help!!

[Susan]

Hi Robert,
have you tried any puppy formula’s that have 1 single meat protein & Sweet potatoes or Potatoes, also adding boiled pumkin to his meals & see does he need a higher fiber diet?add 1 spoon of boiled pumkin to his next meal & see how he goes…
Pumkin can be boiled then frozen, it freezes ok same as sweet potato..
Potatoes & Sweet Potato seem to help dogs with gastro problems..

“Natural Balance” LID Potato & Duck Puppy formula, fiber is 4%
or there’s N/B Potato & Duck Adult & fiber is lower at -3%
https://www.chewy.com/natural-balance-lid-limited/dp/126515

or try the N/B LID Sweet Potato & Fish formula fiber is 5%, pea free, chickpea free..
You have to read all the Natural balances LID formula’s ingredients as they all vary

or try the “American Journey Limited ingredient Lamb & Sweet Potato formula, the fiber is 7%, the peas are 4th ingredient instead of being 2nd or 3rd ingredient like the other American Journey LTD formula’s are.
Here’s the American Journey LTD ALS Lamb & sweet Potato link.
https://www.chewy.com/american-journey-limited-ingredient/dp/148425

The Hills I/d prescription formula you’re feeding now is low in fiber 1.7% so maybe try a higher fiber diet……
also you need to find out WHY this happening? what does the vet say??
he’s young so he cant have IBD yet but if he continues with his diarrhea & sloppy poos he will end up with thickening of the bowel, when I got my boy he was a rescue & 4yrs old so I’d say someone just kept feeding him the cheap food that irritated his bowel & casued his IBD he has now… the Eukanuba Intestinal Low Residue dry vet diet formula was to only vet diet that ended up working for my boy, its low in fiber, my boy doesnt do well on high fiber diets….

Take back the Hills I/d Digestive Care vet diet that isnt helping him, vets diets are money back guaranteed & ask vet nurse can you try either the Royal Canine Gastrointestinal Puppy formula or Gastrointestinal Fiber response the fiber is 12%
Have you tried the Purina FortiFloria probiotic?? strengthen his gut?

Also reassure him when he is stressing out, tell him it’s OK, calm down down & stroke him & calmly speak, settle him down, also he may need to start gaining confidence, he may have low confidence, I rescued a dog she had very low confidents she had to go to puppy school & learn how to met other dogs etc…also never get cranky with him if he has an accident in house etc, whoever owned my boy must of belted him as he is so paranoid about pooing, it has taken me 4 yrs & Patch now FINALLY poos on grass BUT only if he knows he’s doing a firm poo, if he knows his poos is going to be very sloppy he wont poo on grass he holds it until he finds a bush or somewhere he can hide his poo.. I’ve reassured him & told him it’s OK Patch but he still starts to panic if he’s going to have diarrhea, as soon as he does do his sloppy poo or diarraha I praise him & tell him GOOD BOOOOY, you got it out, that after he has ran & looked & looked & panic stressed himself out, Im just relieved he fianally did his diarrhea lol
Here’s Royal Canine Digestive foods see which one is different to the Hills I/d formula he’s eating now, there’s also a Gastro Intestinal Kit

https://www.royalcanin.com/products/vet/digestive-support
keep me up dated what happened?

[jeanne e]

My dog has had this problem and my Vet put my dog on the Hills Science PRESCRIPTION dry dog food. Need prescription. Anyway, unless symptoms get really bad immediately give whatever you do use a few weeks or so to take effect. Always start out mixing the new food with the old to eventually just using the new food. Like people, dogs can have tummy, stool problems. Never just start using any new food immediately. Just a gradual change.

[anonymous]

“Vet switched to Science diet ID Digestive two weeks ago, not much difference”.

Give the prescription food some more time. Continue to work closely with your vet.
After all, he is the veterinary healthcare that has examined your dog and knows his history.

Hope this helps http://skeptvet.com/Blog/2016/07/more-nonsense-from-holistic-vets-about-commercial-therapeutic-diets/

[crazy4cats]

Hi Robert L-
I’m assuming since you are working with a vet, that you have had a fecal test done. Puppies often get internal parasites, such as worms, giardia and/or coccidia. My pups had them all! Some of them can be intermittent and hard to detect with only one test. Have you tried a dewormer like Panacur?

You mention IBD meds, was it metronidazole? Is the poop nasty smelling and greenish or yellow?

Pumpkin never worked for my dogs, but the pectin in no sugar added applesauce and bananas were helpful. Talk to your vet, but Forti Flora and VetriPro BD were supplements that also helped while my dogs’ tummies were healing. It does take a while. I know it’s tough, but be patient. I kept switching foods too. Just making it worse!

I know it’s stressful. I hope it gets better soon. Take care.

[Kimberly S]

Hi Robert,

I had the same issue with my GSD. She was 6 months old when her GI issues started and I did the same thing as you. Finally I got so frustrated with going back and forth to the vet and the expense of the Science Diet food, I decided to try something with my fur baby. I put her on a Grain-free, non-chicken diet.. I put her on Blue Turkey Grain-free and after she was fully weaned from the Science Diet, (I did this process VERY, VERY SLOWLY) it took about 2 1/2weeks total. I held my breath and she did great!!! For MY DOG, it was an issue for HER. Now she is 4 years old, she is still on a Grain-free diet but large breed and I no longer have GI issues with her.
This is what worked for ME and MY DOG because I didn’t want her on antibiotics anymore and the cost of Science Diet (although a great food) was killing me. I also had the backing of my vet to do this too. Before anyone asks. 😊
Good luck!
Kim

[Robert L]

Thanks for all the feed back. Wrote it all down and will be taking to the vet on next visit on the list of recommendations. Since I posted had to take puppy back to vet on 22nd. He had a reaction to the Kennel Cough dose given on 20th, lethargic, mucus in throat giving him some breathing issues besides excessive itching, needing to pee and licking himself constantly. Vet took stool sample and other exams with everything OK, believes it is allergy related, put on antibiotics just in case of infection, started changing over slowly to grain free puppy food. Puppy is back to regular self, except for diarrhea, but will take a few weeks to see if this puppy food works. Will try to keep you informed. Thanks again!

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