# Adding Fiber to Dog Diet with Metamucil or Psyllium



## Dallas Gold

I'm thinking of adding fiber to Toby's diet by adding psyllium flakes or Metamucil capsules (open up and sprinkle on food). This would be to firm up his stool--he already gets sweet potato/pumpkin. My question for those who already do this--how many capsules do you add and are there any gassy side effects? 

I'm thinking of using one Metamucil capsule for the morning and evening meals. One capsule has 3 g of fiber. I may go with psyllium flakes instead to avoid the food colorings put in the Metamucil capsules.


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## Bender

How much pumpkin/SP is he getting? That will firm up, or loosen, his stools depending on how much of course, so keep that in mind.

For the psyllium, add a small amount and increase gradually to lesson the side effects of it. But again it will firm up or loosen things (if you feed a lot of fiber, they will have mushy stools, not runny OR solid).

You may want to add digestive enzymes to help break down things too.


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## Dallas Gold

Bender said:


> How much pumpkin/SP is he getting? That will firm up, or loosen, his stools depending on how much of course, so keep that in mind.
> 
> For the psyllium, add a small amount and increase gradually to lesson the side effects of it. But again it will firm up or loosen things (if you feed a lot of fiber, they will have mushy stools, not runny OR solid).
> 
> You may want to add digestive enzymes to help break down things too.


Toby gets about 3/4 to 1 cup of sweet potato per day. I cook them for him. It doesn't seem to improve his stool firmness. He gets probiotics with each meal. I've found more fiber = firmer stools, not runny. Too little fiber = loose stools for Toby.


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## Duke's Momma

So, when Duke was having really loose stools due to the chemo, the vet told us to give him the Metamucil wafers. He loved them (would actually eat those when he wouldn't be eating his food). There are apple flavored ones. They are a little pricey to do everyday , but one a day was good. Once his stools firm up, you could maybe try 1/2 day and so on. Or it could be good for a quick fix while you find a more permanent fix.

Also, can he eat popcorn? Air popped is good fiber and when Duke was younger, he would have a huge bowl - free feed of popcorn as it's fiber and fluff - little to no calories. We actually fed that to him when he was loosing weight. However, lots of dogs are allergic to corn and I know there's different schools of thought towards corn/grain.


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## tippykayak

That seems like a lot of fiber to be adding to a dog's diet—the pumpkin plus a supplement. Is it possible that there's something else not agreeing with him?


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## Dallas Gold

tippykayak said:


> That seems like a lot of fiber to be adding to a dog's diet—the pumpkin plus a supplement. Is it possible that there's something else not agreeing with him?


It's sweet potato, not pumpkin, as instructed by the vet. For some reason they advise clients to supplement pumpkin for constipation and sweet potato for loose stools. We are currently investigating everything. He's always had less than firm stools.


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## Dallas Gold

Duke's Momma said:


> So, when Duke was having really loose stools due to the chemo, the vet told us to give him the Metamucil wafers. He loved them (would actually eat those when he wouldn't be eating his food). There are apple flavored ones. They are a little pricey to do everyday , but one a day was good. Once his stools firm up, you could maybe try 1/2 day and so on. Or it could be good for a quick fix while you find a more permanent fix.
> 
> Also, can he eat popcorn? Air popped is good fiber and when Duke was younger, he would have a huge bowl - free feed of popcorn as it's fiber and fluff - little to no calories. We actually fed that to him when he was loosing weight. However, lots of dogs are allergic to corn and I know there's different schools of thought towards corn/grain.


I'll look up the apple wafers on the metamucil website. I hope it doesn't contain artificial sweeteners because they can cause loose stools! I'll also ask about the popcorn.


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## Katie and Paddy's Mum

When Katie was diagnosed recently with "stress colitis" my vet recommended starting Katie on a fiber supplement as well as a probiotic for overall colon health. He said post-attack, she needed to be on this regiment for at least 90 days as the bad bacteria in her colon had too much time to colonize.

Anyhow, following is what he advised. He said to begin with 1/4 teaspoon daily of psyllium fiber (seeds and husk in powder form) at breakfast and working up until she receives 1 heaping teaspoon daily. Katie is 66lbs and that was the dosage he recommended for her. He also said that I could make her up a 7 grain cereal every now and again. 

I hope that helps with dosing. 

Edit: forgot to add, that I just go to the healthfood store and buy a big bag of psyllium husks and seeds. I don't use metamucil at all. The bag of husks and seeds was considerably less expensive than the Metamucil.

Kim


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## Dallas Gold

Katie and Paddy's Mum said:


> When Katie was diagnosed recently with "stress colitis" my vet recommended starting Katie on a fiber supplement as well as a probiotic for overall colon health. He said post-attack, she needed to be on this regiment for at least 90 days as the bad bacteria in her colon had too much time to colonize.
> 
> Anyhow, following is what he advised. He said to begin with 1/4 teaspoon daily of psyllium fiber (seeds and husk in powder form) at breakfast and working up until she receives 1 heaping teaspoon daily. Katie is 66lbs and that was the dosage he recommended for her. He also said that I could make her up a 7 grain cereal every now and again.
> 
> I hope that helps with dosing.
> 
> Edit: forgot to add, that I just go to the healthfood store and buy a big bag of psyllium husks and seeds. I don't use metamucil at all. The bag of husks and seeds was considerably less expensive than the Metamucil.
> 
> Kim


Yes, that helps. I prefer things in natural form, without added dyes, sugars, etc. because of possible adverse side effects. Thanks!


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## cubbysan

I had one of the top Great Pyrenees breeders recommend giving one or two pieces of shredded wheat cereal as a treat. This was recommended to prevent anal sac issues, so I imagine it would help firm the stool.


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## Dallas Gold

cubbysan said:


> I had one of the top Great Pyrenees breeders recommend giving one or two pieces of shredded wheat cereal as a treat. This was recommended to prevent anal sac issues, so I imagine it would help firm the stool.


I bet it would too! thanks!


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## GoldenCamper

Have you tried green peas (mash them up after cooking) or plain cooked instant oatmeal ? Both are high in fiber and nutritious. They worked wonders for Tucker.


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## Dallas Gold

I will definitely try the oatmeal....that is a staple of our diets anyway. We use whole oats, but if he doesn't like those I can whirl it in the food processor. Thanks!


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## tippykayak

Dallas Gold said:


> It's sweet potato, not pumpkin, as instructed by the vet. For some reason they advise clients to supplement pumpkin for constipation and sweet potato for loose stools. We are currently investigating everything. He's always had less than firm stools.


Oh, your OP said sweet potato/pumpkin, so that's where I got that.

I still think something else may be wrong, and using fiber to control the symptoms may just be masking it.


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## Dallas Gold

tippykayak said:


> I still think something else may be wrong, and using fiber to control the symptoms may just be masking it.


....and that is why we are seeing our vet so often......so far nothing has turned up. Perfect blood, urine...echo and abdominal ultrasounds every 6 months.


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## tippykayak

Dallas Gold said:


> ....and that is why we are seeing our vet so often......so far nothing has turned up. Perfect blood, urine...echo and abdominal ultrasounds every 6 months.


Sorry - I feel like I came off as confrontational, which is the furthest thing from my mind. So I apologize. I'm just wondering if there's some ingredient in his diet he's intolerant to or something. Just trying to problem solve.


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## Dallas Gold

tippykayak said:


> Sorry - I feel like I came off as confrontational, which is the furthest thing from my mind. So I apologize. I'm just wondering if there's some ingredient in his diet he's intolerant to or something. Just trying to problem solve.


That's also my concern. His vet wants to switch him to Hills DD... I did a search of the ingredients and can "justify" most of them except the BHA preservative. That's something I prefer not to subject him (or me) to in a diet. We may do a slow transition to just see because it contains ingredients he isn't eating now. That experiment might reveal something.


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## tippykayak

Dallas Gold said:


> That's also my concern. His vet wants to switch him to Hills DD... I did a search of the ingredients and can "justify" most of them except the BHA preservative. That's something I prefer not to subject him (or me) to in a diet. We may do a slow transition to just see because it contains ingredients he isn't eating now. That experiment might reveal something.


Have you tried a full elimination diet? Like putting him on boiled chicken and whole grain rice for a few weeks to see what happens? It's the only reliable way I've heard of to pinpoint an intolerance like this, if that's in fact the cause. If he doesn't improve, then it probably isn't ingredient-based.


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## Dallas Gold

tippykayak said:


> Have you tried a full elimination diet? Like putting him on boiled chicken and whole grain rice for a few weeks to see what happens? It's the only reliable way I've heard of to pinpoint an intolerance like this, if that's in fact the cause. If he doesn't improve, then it probably isn't ingredient-based.


 
We may end up doing that.


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## Dallas Gold

We are putting everything food wise on hold until after we get another echocardiogram and abdominal ultrasound on Feb. 1. Once those results are in I will reassess everything. Thanks everyone--I got some good ideas for new fiber sources.


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