yogurt versus pumpkin

[Laura Deutsch]

Now that it is impossible to find canned pumpkin, I'm wondering if plain yogurt serves the same purpose and is as easily digestible?

Of course, with my dog, you never know, since she reacts to so much, but pumpkin was really good . 

Does anyone know where to get it now? 

If you do suggest yogurt, how much?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I'm still able to buy pumpkin in my area. You may also be able to get it on line.

Pumpkin helps regulate stool consistency because of its fiber content. That's why it helps with both dioarrhea and constipation. Some people have had luck with using canned sweet potatoes when they can't find pumpkin. If you try the sweet potatoes, make sure they don't have sugar or salt added.

Yogurt helps digestion because of the probiotics (good bacteria) it contains, in the form of live cultures. A healthy digestive system with a good balance of beneficial flora will contribute to well formed stools, but there is a difference between pumpkin and yogurt in terms of what they do. There's certainly no harm in trying the yogurt. make sure it's plain, non-fat yogurt and not vanilla, Greek style, or Activia.

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

I have also been able to get pumpkin in our area, however I have stocked up (hoarding is more like it) and haven't looked for it in a week or two. If we are expecting another shortage I would advise that you find it soon as it will be gone until next Oct again.  Some had found in at health food stores, target and wal-mart when the shortage first hit last year. Some ordered it online as well. My two doodles love pumpkin and I use at least a can a week just for regularity and some added fiber, but I also use yogurt and both for the two reasons that Karen has already explained so well.  Sweet potatoes have been mentioned for stools also.

[Christine & Camus]

I just ordered 2 cases of the 365 Brand Pumpkin ($1.29 per can) at my local Whole Foods.  They also give a 5% discount when you order by the case (12 cans per case).  You could try the Whole Foods store in West Hartford to see if they will order it for you.  

[Debb, Lucy & Oscar]

We stopped using canned anything... instead we use cooked sweet potato (about a 2" slice). It worked wonders for Lucy's soft stool, much more than plain yogurt, and the big plus is Lucy LOVES her sweet potato... oh, and that its readily available year round... and fresh.

[Richard Crowe]

Holly has soft stools and cannot tolerate kibble of any kind.  We feed most of our Maltese (including our rescues) kibble with a sweet potato (or yam), carrot and either beef or chicken topping.  We feed Holly a couple of spoons full of the topping each evening (she eats it right from the spoon) but, feed her primarily Nature's variety Raw food (beef) which keeps her weight at a great level and also keeps her stool firm. The Nature's variety is expensive but, is worth it for us.

 

However, we have a Maltese rescue, named Tara, that cannot tolerate any kibble at all.  She has explosive diarrhea even when we add our sweet potato topping or use pumpkin.  It will be difficult to place this Maltese because of her special food needs and because she has bonded all her life with Eddie another Maltese.  These two poor dogs have had such a terrible life that we want to keep them together.  When we received these two dogs, Eddie could not close his mouth due to teeth decay and infection and Tara had a lesion from her rotten teeth out to the side of her neck. They panic when parted for any length of time.  After their horrible lives, we want to keep them together.  They deserve some happiness.

 

http://rpcrowe.smugmug.com/Other/MALTESE-RESCUE-DOGS/eddie-and-tera...

 

We placed the two dogs with a family who stated that they would be willing to feed the two dogs Nature's Variety.  However, due to a marital separation, Eddie and Tara came back to us.  Obviously, they had not been fed food they could digest because they were skin and bones when we got them back.  It has taken us almost a month feeding them a double ration of raw food each day to get them back to a decent weight.

 

We love Tara and Eddie and would be willing to keep them.  However, we also need to have room for other needy rescue Maltese. We presently have Holly, our Goldendoodle, along with four of our own Maltese.  We also have Tara and Eddie plus three other rescues and a rescue puppy, who has been adopted and is just waiting until he is old enough to be neutered before going to his new home. We really cannot fit more dogs.

 

We would love to find a less expensive way to feed Eddie and Tara because it would make them more adoptable.  We also would love to find a food which Holly could tolerate.  Nature Variety is difficult to feed when we travel in our RV because we have limited freezer capability.  No big problem around Southern California because that food is available just about everywhere.  However, we had to make a 200 mile detour once in Louisiana to find that food.

 

Does anyone have any ideas?

 

 

 

[Cheri & Bonny]

You can also buy pumpkin online at Amazon.com and when you order $25 worth of groceries the shipping is free, anywhere in the US.  You can also sign up for their automatic ship service and get it cheaper.  That's how I got some cases of pumpkin during the summer.  Buy several and you'll have a supply for the whole year.  

 

If you don't use the whole can in a week, you can freeze the rest in ice cube trays and pull them out when you need them.