# Is smaller stool means better nutrition absorbtion?



## sifuyono (May 8, 2008)

i use these 3 kibble brand
1. eaglepack natural/ holistic chicken: big stool and often, texture is normal and not smelly
2. acana large breed: stool 10-15% smaller than when i used eaglepack, texture is normal tends to soft, smelly
3. proplan performance: small stool (maybe 50% smaller than when i used acana). poo twice a day average, hard texture (yes, i mean really hard) so easy to pick up, color a bit darker

from what i see in my golden, proplan has better in gain some weight compare to the other two above (even grain heavy but gives better looking to my boy), still 3 cup proplan performance/day doesn't give the desire weight i want (still need more gain weight)

my question same as the thread title,
*does smaller stool produced mean that the nutrition from kibble has better absorb by the body?? or it doesn't mean anything??*

thanks for the opinion


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## sifuyono (May 8, 2008)

next, i'll try acana adult, cause proplan still makes bruno scratch and lick as usual


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## HovawartMom (Aug 10, 2006)

I was told that smaller was better!.Smaller stool,usually,means that the dogs is digesting,all,the nutrients well!.


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## Jersey's Mom (Nov 25, 2007)

In your signature picture your dog seems to be of a healthy weight. I'm curious why you want him to gain and how much? Being overweight wreaks havoc on a dog's joints and organ systems (just as it does with people). A little lean is considered to be the best way to go.

That said, yes, in general less stool means more of the food is absorbed and used... thus less is left over for waste. I assume you're feeding the same amount on all 3 foods, otherwise it could also tie in to how much you are feeding.

Julie and Jersey


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## msdogs1976 (Dec 21, 2007)

I agree with Jersey. If your signature pic is the dog you are talking about, no additional weight is needed IMO. Pro Plan is suppose to be a good food. Some grains don't bother me like many here. As has been mentioned before, the scratching could be due to the change of seasons.


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## Debles (Sep 6, 2007)

Selka and Gunner eat the same thing. Gunner gets one fourth a cup more. Gunner has always had big poops, Selka small. ?


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## paula bedard (Feb 5, 2008)

From Deb's observations, same food with both dogs, maybe the individual dogs ability to absorb nutrients contributes to the size also. Ike's always had larger stools, even on his new foods that are a better quality that he was on initially. I have noticed that Ike's stools dry up quicker now and do not have much odor.


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## Tahnee GR (Aug 26, 2006)

Smaller, denser stools are generally preferred. Larger, softer stools can also mean you are feeding too much of that particular food.


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## Debles (Sep 6, 2007)

Gunner's aren't soft. Formed, just bigger. He gets two cups a day. He has lost 10 pounds and is starving so I don't think I am feeding him too much. He gets lots of exercise too.
It may be his health issues but he is eating a healthy food. I am going with the veggies fruit for snacks now over treats.


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## AmbikaGR (Dec 31, 2007)

As others have stated the "general" rule is less poop the better the dog is utilizing the food consumed. And as others have stated it would need to be equal amounts of the food to compare. Now here is where I will probably get confusing so if you do not follow PLEASE ask.
The best food is very subjective and depends on the dog. From what you state I would NOT feed the Proplan due to the scratching (allergies). I would not get overly concerned with the amount of "output" but the overall appearance and health of the dog. And to truly "judge" a food's benefits I feel you need to feed it for a minimum of 9 months to a year, unless it is obvious prior to that that the dog is NOT doing well on it (such as allergies). And understand some times "very soft" poop can be caused by different things. Sometimes it is simply due to feeding too much and a slight reduction in intake can fix that problem. You state you are feeding 3 cups. Is that per day or per meal? How many times per day are you feeding him? If you are feeding once a day try splitting that amount into 2 meals per day, it may help "firm" things up.


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## BeauShel (May 20, 2007)

He looks great to me. I wouldnt think he needs to gain any weight from that picture. If he is scratching and itching on the Proplan, you might consider slowly switching her over to the Eagle or Acana. Both are good foods. Good luck


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## wabmorgan (May 6, 2008)

If he is scratching... I would recommend going to something else.... and I would try a grainless food like Orijen. 

As for stools.... you don't want soft runny stools... but the stool should not be hard.... and if your dog seems to be straining to go.... it is too hard.


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## sifuyono (May 8, 2008)

Jersey's Mom said:


> In your signature picture your dog seems to be of a healthy weight. I'm curious why you want him to gain and how much? Being overweight wreaks havoc on a dog's joints and organ systems (just as it does with people). A little lean is considered to be the best way to go.
> 
> That said, yes, in general less stool means more of the food is absorbed and used... thus less is left over for waste. I assume you're feeding the same amount on all 3 foods, otherwise it could also tie in to how much you are feeding.
> 
> Julie and Jersey


yes, i feed always the same amount approx. 3cup/day

the pict below was i took when he get his best weight (heaviest ever), nowadays he was thinner and slimmer


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## sifuyono (May 8, 2008)

AmbikaGR said:


> As others have stated the "general" rule is less poop the better the dog is utilizing the food consumed. And as others have stated it would need to be equal amounts of the food to compare. Now here is where I will probably get confusing so if you do not follow PLEASE ask.
> The best food is very subjective and depends on the dog. From what you state I would NOT feed the Proplan due to the scratching (allergies). I would not get overly concerned with the amount of "output" but the overall appearance and health of the dog. And to truly "judge" a food's benefits I feel you need to feed it for a minimum of 9 months to a year, unless it is obvious prior to that that the dog is NOT doing well on it (such as allergies). And understand some times "very soft" poop can be caused by different things. Sometimes it is simply due to feeding too much and a slight reduction in intake can fix that problem. You state you are feeding 3 cups. Is that per day or per meal? How many times per day are you feeding him? If you are feeding once a day try splitting that amount into 2 meals per day, it may help "firm" things up.


3cup/ day...
2 times meal
each meal 1.5cup/ meal

w/ proplan can maintain weight
w/ acana reduce his weight on that amount


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## Lucky's mom (Nov 4, 2005)

I'm not sure small stools are necessarily good. I fed Lucky less when he needed to lose weight and he had smaller stools. And I really think it messed up his anal glands. Nothing scientific in that. Just an opinon.

I haven't really noticed a stool difference between foods unless something wasn't right.

Using canned alpo as a topper created gas and then after a couple of weeks diarrea. 

Nutro Lamb and rice created volumous soft stools...several per day. Seemed like more coming out then going in. I do think he wasn't getting out of the food what he should have been but I think it was because it wasn't the right food for him...not because the food was a bad food.

I haven't been happy with the stools with the Shredded Proplan. Not too abnormal but not normal enough and I won't go into details.

When Lucky was on , Innova, Eukanuba, Iams, regular proplan They seem pretty much the same and all "healthy"


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## sifuyono (May 8, 2008)

Digestibility - Ask them for the percent of digestibility in the diets.
And don't fall for that "small" stools or "infrequent stool" line of baloney either. Animals, like humans are supposed to have frequent, formed stools through out the day (2-4 to be on the healthy side). Small stools are not an indication of a highly digestible diet and quality nutrition. The whole idea and sales pitch of a small stool is a marketing tool and definitely in the best interest of the animals digestive health. 



article from greatdanelady


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## AmbikaGR (Dec 31, 2007)

sifuyono said:


> Digestibility - Ask them for the percent of digestibility in the diets.
> And don't fall for that "small" stools or "infrequent stool" line of baloney either. Animals, like humans are supposed to have frequent, formed stools through out the day (2-4 to be on the healthy side). Small stools are not an indication of a highly digestible diet and quality nutrition. The whole idea and sales pitch of a small stool is a marketing tool and definitely in the best interest of the animals digestive health.
> 
> 
> ...


 
Well that is one person's opinion and I will hae to disagree with it.
What is normal (healthy) for one person is not neccessarily the same for the next. Of my 3 dogs one goes once a day, one goes twice a day and the old girl can go one day with none and the next day go three times. And although the old girl may not be 100% atthis stage of her life, this has been her daily routine since she was two years old. And the small poop "sales pitch" I first heard around 12 years ago when researching going to a raw diet. And at that time there were no comercial raw food producers so there was nothing for any one to gain by it.


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