Food making stool too soft

[marisap914]

I have a 7 month old basenji and currently giving him dry food but his stool is so soft it’s so hard to pick up. Can anyone give me some good name brands of dry food ? Vet said change his diet and I have and still can’t find the right dry food that doesn’t make his stool soft.

[tanza]

What are you currently feeding and what have you tried?

[elbrant]

Oftentimes switching foods abruptly will create "digestion issues". It may be eased if you combine new and old foods together for a week or so before you officially start the new food.

Personally, I would add a 1/2 teaspoon of pure pumpkin to the food to help settle his stomach. My local WalMart sells it on the baking/spice isle it for ~$1USD. Do not get "pumpkin pie mix" as there are seasonings that can kill(?) your pup. Pure pumpkin, however, is a very healthy addition to their diet.

There is a lot of pumpkin in the can! I recommend putting small dots of it on a cookie sheet, then freeze it for an hour or so. Store them in a zippered freezer bag and thaw out a few at a time (as needed). Or, toss them in the dinner bowl frozen.... something I've done recently which "doodle" seems okay with.

[tanza]

You also might try limit ingredient from Natural Balance. Try the Duck and Potato, I use the small bites. Also switch slowly. That said, I change food every 3 to 4 weeks and have always done so. My Basenjis are very used to change so I never have to worry about changing food or what I add (veggies/fruits, etc). Adding pure pumpkin is a good thing too as noted by elbrant. Have you spoken to your Basenji's breeder? Are you feeding or where you feeding what they fed? I also do not use puppy food either in raising a litter of pups and do not recommend that new owners use puppy food either. If you are using a good quality well balanced kibble, puppy food is not necessary

https://www.naturalbalanceinc.com/dog-formulas?gclid=COaD3M_31-MCFcOmxQIdTrAL6w&gclsrc=ds

[Jerseygirl01]

@elbrant I second Elbrant. Canned pumpkin is supposed to be regulating, whether the problem is diarrhea or constipation. Personally, if you try this and your pup tolerates it but you don't see any improvement, I would up the amount every couple of days until you do see some change (+ or -). Your dog probably will find it quite acceptable.

[Patty]

Have you considered feeding him raw food? If you decide to do so make the change gradually. A raw fed dog has much firmer stools and fewer of them.

[Kembe]

@elbrant
I also give my dog pumpkin when she has stomach issues. I like your recommendation of freezing “dots” of pumpkin and zip lock freezing them! I’m definitely going to do that - a can of pumpkin goes a long way - freezing “dot” will keep it fresh.I find that the pumpkin does keep my dog’s digestion in check! Thanks for the great suggestion!

[marisap914]

@elbrant thanks for your helpful suggestions! I am deff going to try the pumpkin dots!

[marisap914]

@patty what raw food can I give?

[marisap914]

@tanza I’ve read in the feeding forum lots of people have been using blue buffalo. Do you suggest that name brand for dry food?

[DonC]

I'll third or fourth the pumpkin suggestion though I'm probably more in the 2 tsp area than 1/2 a tsp. You could also try Hill's Prescription Diet i/d Digestive Care with Turkey Canned Dog Food. You can just add a little every night, just like you would do for the pumpkin. In both cases you're adding bulk to the stool.

It can also take some dogs a while to adjust to changes in their food. If this is the case, then experimenting with different foods in an effort to find the right one is likely to make things worse. You might also want to feed what the breeder was feeding. It's possible -- though not likely -- that he's not quite ready for some adult foods.

I'd assume that, as with people, dogs need to match their microbiome to their diet. So quick switches can result in a mismatch.

[tanza]

@marisap914 said in Food making stool too soft:

@tanza I’ve read in the feeding forum lots of people have been using blue buffalo. Do you suggest that name brand for dry food?

Hi Marisap914 - I did indicate trying Natural Balance Limited Ingredients in my other email. I have never like Blue Buffalo nor have my Basenjis

[Bumblebpete]

My Basenji mix has been eating Orijen Original for over three years and his stool is normal. I can tell when he eats something different, (visiting relatives) because then his stool is soft and mushy and hard to pick up.

Orijen Original Ingredients

85%
POULTRY | FISH | EGG INGREDIENTS
15%
VEGETABLES | FRUIT | BOTANICALS
0%
GRAIN | POTATO | TAPIOCA | PLANT PROTEIN CONCENTRATES