Constant loose stools! Help!

[Joy & Buddy]

Forgive me for starting another thread on this topic.  I've read through a lot of the other threads--for hours!--but many of the discussions are over a year old and I wasn't sure if they are still active. Buddy is on Acana and has had loose stools for several months now.  Currently he is on the grain-free Pacifica formula (he's been on grain-free since he was about 8 months old--he's 2 now).  I was trying to switch between the formulas every couple months to give him variety but went back to Pacifica because he tends to like fish protein. Sometimes for days at a time, he seems uninterested in his food, and will skip meals or only eat some of it, which is another reason I went back to the fish.  (He's interested at first, then seems to get bored with it, although food/treats are a big motivator for him.) I was also giving him salmon oil for his coat, which tends to be dry, and because he seemed more interested in the food with it, but I cut that out to see if it was contributing to his stool problem.  Not a really noticeable difference, although maybe a little.  I've had his stool checked for parasites, and it was not positive, although we've only had it checked once (I know you have to catch the parasite when it is not dormant). I'm hesitant to take him to the vet, who is great, but his office has never heard of Acana and I think he will just give me medication to treat the symptom.

Buddy loves raw zucchini, carrots, etc, but I am hesitant to use them as treats, and I have stopped giving him other treats, or at least using them only occasionally (dried sweet potato; jerky treats with not grains, etc).  Also have used pumpkin but after a few days, he avoids it.   Should I use yogurt?

I was so happy to finally have Acana in our area, and I would love to keep him on it!  He was on TOTW previously (switched to Acana last September) and did okay on it, but I think Acana and Orijen are better foods and I am concerned about Diamond's history.

Any thoughts?  Any help would be appreciated!  

[Kim]

I know what you mean... We have countless receipts of $29 each time for a stool sample at the Vet's office, and because of that they know our names in public (LOL).  We haven't had a stool checked because of diarrhea since last June (I believe).  Allie will be 3 this Summer, so we battled her digestive issues for almost 2 years.  We feed all of the different Fromm 4 star formulas with grains, except for Chicken a la veg because Allie won't eat it! 

 

I wouldn't try switching foods until you have her stool sampled again, so that you know for sure it's the food.  Good luck!  I hope you figure it out soon, I know what a pain it is!

[Joy & Buddy]

I took Buddy to a holistic vet yesterday (with 30 years experience) and her recommendation was to feed raw with added vegies; she said she sees lots of goldendoodles and labradoodles with chronic digestive issues, and in Buddy's case, she thinks it's an inherited condition and is now (possibly) suppressing his immune system.  Also his coat is dry and increasingly, not as soft as before. It's also that it has been going on for a long time, and now probably has set up conditions that won't allow him to absorb nutrients.  So, for what it's worth, that's my news!  Here I go, with raw!

[Lindsey]

Joy-I'll be curious to see how buddy does on raw food. Keep us updated.
I've been (recently) following every thread on doodles and loose stool now that our Molly has started having it HORRIBLY.
I've got to rule out parasites...so we're doing stool samples with the vet next week...but if it's negative, I've got to find another food. We switched from the brand she came home eating from the breeders to TOTW and ever since then shes had diarrhea. I'ts BEYOND frustrating!! For a while I thought it might not have been the food...b/c I gave her a ham bone around the same time we switched...but now, I really feel like its a parasite or the food switch....**sigh**.
Keep us posted :)

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Lindsey, let me also mention again that the hambone could also be at the root of this. As you know, I gave one to my 6 year old mature dog, who has no food sensitivities or digestive issues whatsoever, and between the undigested bone fragments and the antibiotics he was on at the time, it took well over a month for his digestion to return to normal.

[Lindsey]

Karen- (sorry my stupid computer won't let me use the "reply" button) How bad was the diarrhea after you gave Jack the hambone? I did think that could be it and I haven't exactly ruled that out-as being the issue-but I just feel like this diarrhea Molly is having is just too weird and too inconsistant to be from the hambone. It's normal poop, until right after she eats her TOTW and then it's nothing but liquid. I guess I just keep thinking that if it was in fact from the hambone she would be constantly sick with loose stool.

[Joy & Buddy]

Lindsey, It sounds like the problem is with the TOTW for Molly.  Buddy was doing fine on Wellness and then Innova as a puppy and then started having loose stool around 10 mos.  I've had him tested for parasites three times in the past year and always negative.  So far, after 2 days on raw, there is less poop, a different color, becoming more formed, his eyes are more clear, and he has more energy.  And I am feeding a variety pack that the vet gave me to try, which means he's been getting a different protein each day--NOT something I would have tried before, and not ideal at this moment.  Today he will be on the same protein source for several days so I can see how he does on it (turkey).  He doesn't seem to do well on chicken, in kibble, at least, but the vet also said that if a dog doesn't tolerate a protein source in one kind of food (kibble), he might be fine on it when it is raw.  Did you change the protein source when you switched to TOTW?

[Joy & Buddy]

Update: After 3 days on the raw diet (1 patty + raw green beans, twice a day, so far), Buddy had a perfectly formed poop today, for the first time in many months!!!  It's kind of miraculous, actually!  And he's happy & eager to eat!

[David E]

I can't get any kibbles to work on their own. I've tried so many. Raw works beautifully, every time (if you know what I mean). I use Primal patties and meat grinds, sometimes some duck necks and chicken backs. Monty will crunch them up no problem and the stool is perfect. I also give  raw carrots and beans. 

The only kibble I continue to supplement him with is Ziwi dehydrated. I mix it in with grinds mostly.

Also, I can give Monty all sorts of treats with no problem when he is on a raw diet. On kibble, most of the treats would cause 'problems'. I have one more kibble to try and that's it, I'm done with it. It would be so convenient, but obviously they aren't working in my case and it sounds like I'm not the only one.

[Joy & Buddy]

David, have you looked into Instinct--raw and kibble?  They advocate "variety" by feeding raw and kibble each day, and their kibble has a freeze dried raw coating.  It does seem to use meal instead of just the meat, but if you are feeding raw 1/2 the day, it might work out.  I am thinking of trying Instinct just because I think it may be a bit more affordable, even though the Primal seems to be working wonders.  So, of course, I am hesitant to switch.  

Have you ever tried Bravo raw? My vet also recommended BARF but I can't get it and shipping is almost as much as the food.

[David E]

I've only really tried the Primal patties and meat grinds (comes in a big frozen sausage). I've experimented with chicken and duck necks as well. I haven't tried any other raw, but I'm open to checking it out. I would love to be able to do kibble in the morning and then raw at night when I have a little more time to prepare.

So far, every time I try kibble on it's own, boom, we get loose stools. Mixing it in with grinds helps a lot, but he then seems to do double the stool as it looks like it goes through him at different rates. 

I've heard good things about Instinct so I might try that combo and see what happens. I'm waiting for a bag of Life's abundance to be delivered. It came recommended by a friend of mine (not a reseller) and it appears to have beet fiber to help stools. It does have some rough oat grain, but looks to be only for fiber so, I'm going to try it.

I'm actually mixing in some Go canned food with the patties at the moment. Doesn't seem to have any negative effects. On it's own it doesn't work, but mixed with patties it's fine.

You go around in circles with all this and it's frustrating. I've never had a dog with 'kibble-trouble' before. Fortunately I can afford the raw food, but for convenience and variety I'd like to do a kibble for one meal a day. Thanks for the idea.

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

My dog (9 months) has soft - sometimes runny poops while eating Orijen Puppy.  He now eats the same mixed with a 1 oz nugget of Primal (raw beef variety).  We did it to entice his eating but we got an unexpected result.  Firm - more regular stools.  Just my experience.

[David E]

I had more success with Acana than Orijen and like you, much more so when adding primal patty or grinds to it. I've since found that Ziwi seems to work a little better still. When I was feeding Acana and patties, I found that we got double-duty if you see what I mean, so I am still searching for a kibble that might work on its own, but otherwise what you are doing works pretty well for me also.