Skip to content

Food making stool too soft

Basenji Feeding
  • 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.

  • What are you currently feeding and what have you tried?

  • 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.

  • 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

  • @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.

  • 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.

  • @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!

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

  • @patty what raw food can I give?

  • @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?

  • 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.

  • @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

  • 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

Suggested Topics

  • Food

    Basenji Feeding
    18
    1 Votes
    18 Posts
    3k Views
    S
    I would find out what he scared of or what he dislikes about the car. Is it the car itself, the sensation of being closed in, the movement when the car is being driven? Then work on whatever the problem is, with food. As for food, I use raw duck and vegetables. And I hand-feed all meals, so I never have a problem with not eating/partially eating. I would also recommend hand-feeding for anyone who does have a dog with food issues. Shredded chicken is good (as long as he doesn't have any reactions). But that and some kibble isn't a balanced meal. You may wish to look into a vitamin supplement, specifically something that has a focus on omega 3 (since chicken is high in omega 6), Vitamin C & the B vitamins (because if all he's eating is chicken and kibble, where is his source of vitamin C and the B vitamins?), zinc & copper (same reasons). All the best. EDIT: I just realized this thread is a year old and was bumped by what is almost certainly a bot.
  • "human" food or dog food?

    Basenji Feeding
    30
    0 Votes
    30 Posts
    14k Views
    P
    I once had a pup under treatment at the Bristol Veterinary hospital. When they finally sorted the problem I was told now you'll be able to give him real food meaning kibble!1 I always feed raw and whatever but never complete dog food. Having said that it seems that over here we get a new dog food manufactutrer every month and all claim that theirs is the best!!
  • Food Question

    Basenji Feeding
    7
    0 Votes
    7 Posts
    2k Views
    tanzaT
    @agilebasenji: If you and your vet are happy with their weight, I would not change the amount you're feeding them. However, my pups need more calories in the winter to maintain their weight. Treats - my pups love sweet potatoes and raw (or cooked) zucchinis. sometimes dogs like green beans or carrots. at my house, tri-ing is really bad about taking the carrots, chewing them up and spitting them out all over the place. Yea, thanks Jet. Otherwise, they also like cheese, waffles, eggs, etc, but given you pup's allergies, you may not want to try the later. LOL…. leave it to the "Tri-ing" to make a mess out of the carrots!!!!
  • Making my Basenji's food better…

    Basenji Feeding
    13
    0 Votes
    13 Posts
    6k Views
    sabaS
    In Australia, (especially in Tasmania :rolleyes:), we have none of the brands of dog food that you guys are talking about… We feed a premium dry food to our 2 B's, in the morning, which I might add, neither eat much of :). In the evening they get dry with a little wet food mixed in, also warmed up. Both of them get a 1000mg Omega 3 capsule, and the difference in their coat is incredible. Both had quite dry, flakey, scurfy coats, and our Vet suggested this, and I couldnt be happier with the results. Im new to the breed, and my mentor lives interstate, so all that I am doing, is trial and error ;). Just a couple of weeks ago, I was showing Ochre, and the judge was going over her coat, again and again, on the table... I was thinking she didnt like her coat, and was dreading what she might say to me !!! I was pleasantly surprised when she actually said that Ochre had the most correct coat that she had touched in the last 12-18 months :D. Thankfully the sun was out, just long enough for the B judging, and she literally glistened in the sunshine. This judge also commented on her bright whites, and shiny red colouring. She said, I dont know what you are doing with her coat, but, please keep it up... I was over the moon with these comments :).
  • Food Time

    Basenji Feeding
    10
    0 Votes
    10 Posts
    5k Views
    Robin_n_JackR
    Jack will paw at his water bowl, tip it over, grab and run with it into the living room, throw it around the kitchen…. And not only when it's empty- if he decides he wants fresh water, he'll knock water all over the kitchen floor.:mad:
  • What Food And How Much??

    Basenji Feeding
    22
    0 Votes
    22 Posts
    9k Views
    MacPackM
    Topper,12; Nicky 10, ; and Eddie 8 all eat a combination of 3/4 EVO by Innova, and 1/4 regular adult Innova. We free feed, dry kibble is down all the time, but I think I put about 3 cups out a day, some days they eat it all but some days I don't add kibble at all. Mine do get a bit of whatever we have for dinner, mostly veges, they love all veges as long as they are cooked, especially broccoli and sweet potatoes. IT acts as an appetizer, as soon as they finish their plates they run to the kibble bowls to finsih their dinner. We used cheaper grocery store foods for many years but I felt my dogs deseerved a better quality food so tried several premium brands and settled on Innova. Then when they came out with EVO, I slowly added that but when I went 100% EVO, their poops were a bit loose, so we re-added the regular Innova and it seems to suit them perfectly. Eddie's coat was very coarse when we rescued him, he is soft and silky now. Even though it costs about twice as much as the cheaper stuff, I know they are getting good nutrition and their coats glow and their teeth are clean, so it is worth every cent to me. We are what we eat, and if we eat 'animal by products' (hooves, bones, feathers and even sawdust in some) sprayed with flavors and dyed with food colorings, we may be saving money now, but inviting health probelms in the future. Just MHO, but strangers compliment my dogs on their gloss and vigor! Anne in Tampa, off the soapbox