# Food Choice/ Firm Poop Question



## murrke03 (Jan 6, 2012)

Hello
I am new to the site (see the introductions pages if you haven't already).

So basically I am having a question about whether or not to keep Anna on her food. She has been eating Eukanuba Puppy since we got her from the breeder. She was doing well on it (normal poops, going a couple times a day) but a couple days before her spaying surgery she got very bad diarrhea. One other time she had a problem and a couple chicken and rice meals solved it. Her poops went back to normal right before her surgery and stayed like that for a couple days. Then the diarrhea started again and lasted a good 8 days in which we were only feeding her chicken and rice. We decided to take her into vet to get checked. They ran all the stool tests and parasite stuff to rule that out and gave us a prescription for Hills Prescription diet - gastrointestinal food. Thats all she ate for about a week and her poops became nice and firm (more firm then 'normal' on Eukanuba. We gradually began to mix Eukanuba back in and she is now back to eating just that. 
My question has to do with how soft is too soft for poop. Now when she goes it is solid (no diarrhea) but it is fairly soft. I mean its fairly easy to pick up but you can feel that it is pretty soft unlike when she was on the Hills Prescription diet.
Now there is one other factor and that is that she seems to have a little issue with her anal sacs (the fishy smell). They were emptied when she had her surgery but I also read somewhere that if there poop is firm that helps to empty them when she goes to the bathroom. 
So basically I'm wondering that if her poop is fairly soft, her sacs will be more of a problem as well. 

Sorry for the long read but please let me know what you think. Ask any questions as I'm sure all that writing doesnt make sense somewhere. haha 
Feel free to recommend any certain types of food that might be helpful. Thanks!


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## msdogs1976 (Dec 21, 2007)

Soft poops can come from feeding too much kibble(doesn't take much), too many treats and puppies eating stuff in the yard that they shouldn't. I have no idea if any of that applies to your situation, but something to think about.


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## Penny & Maggie's Mom (Oct 4, 2007)

Yes, firm poo does help to empty the anal sacs. And like said above, over feeding can cause soft stools. Many have found that even with negative stool results, a round of meds can work wonders. Coccidia can be hard to detect.


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## murrke03 (Jan 6, 2012)

Ok so could it be the actual type of kibble? Like should we maybe try to switch? Or should we try something like a mix of kibble and wet food?


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## CarolinaCasey (Jun 1, 2007)

Every dog is different and what works for mine might not work for yours. 

Firm stool helps to express the anal glands naturally. I am unsure of how old you puppy is, but sometimes they are not shedding the bacteria and parasites and they might be missed by a stool sample. Too much water and overfeeding can also cause loose or soft stool as well as stress and _teething_. How much are you feeding?

You can add some canned pumpkin to her food or some shredded wheat cereal or even metamucil to help firm up her stools. I like to give a probiotic everyday and that seems to help the GI tract and stool. Try Nature's Farmacy Digestive Enhancer.


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## murrke03 (Jan 6, 2012)

CarolinaCasey said:


> Every dog is different and what works for mine might not work for yours.
> 
> Firm stool helps to express the anal glands naturally. I am unsure of how old you puppy is, but sometimes they are not shedding the bacteria and parasites and they might be missed by a stool sample. Too much water and overfeeding can also cause loose or soft stool as well as stress and _teething_. How much are you feeding?
> 
> You can add some canned pumpkin to her food or some shredded wheat cereal or even metamucil to help firm up her stools. I like to give a probiotic everyday and that seems to help the GI tract and stool. Try Nature's Farmacy Digestive Enhancer.


We are following the Eukanuba guidelines which is like 4 cups for a 40ish pound and 6 month puppy. 

We've been thinking of changing the food recently so maybe we will try that or try some of the other things you mentioned.


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## CarolinaCasey (Jun 1, 2007)

murrke03 said:


> We are following the Eukanuba guidelines which is like 4 cups for a 40ish pound and 6 month puppy.
> 
> We've been thinking of changing the food recently so maybe we will try that or try some of the other things you mentioned.


I also have a 4 month old puppy. He only gets 2.5-3 cups of food a day. Overfeeding could be the culprit! (Euk. LB Puppy is 361 kcals/cup x 4= 1440 kcals/day. That is a lot!!!) Remember, dog food bags are designed to sell food. The more you feed, the more you'll need to buy! Slow growth is also incredibly important for a golden retriever puppy. Please see the article I have linked to at the bottom.

For the time being, I would cut back to 2.5 or 3 cups per day. My adult male who is very active only gets this same amount!

http://www.weebly.com/uploads/2/0/2/9/2029053/slow_grow_plan.pdf


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

I agree that too much food is probably the problem. 

Also, are you feeding Euk Puppy or Euk Large Breed Puppy? I'd definitely vote for a switch to the LBP if you're currently feeding the regular puppy formula. It's a little less calorie dense and formulated for slower growth (less calcium and phosphorus).


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## 3 goldens (Sep 30, 2005)

I can only add that with some foods you do have to give so much less. My Honey is 10 1/2 years old, but plays and acts like a puppy. I hae a hard time convincing people she is as old as she is, even with her face going white. Even my vet said she looks and acts like a 4 year old, not an old lady.

she is on Taste of theWild High Prairie. She gets 3/4 cup in the morning, and for supper she gets another 3/4 cup along with 1/2 cup of chicken/veggie stew I make for her, or canned salmon or mackeral., a total of 2 cups of food per day. She is 72 pounds and stays right there, tho I think about 67 would be better. and her poops are so small they are hard to find--about the size of my little finger...one little finger size poop twice a day.


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