# Poop question ?



## gussmama (Oct 26, 2016)

Hi everyone. 
My Golden is a little over 3. He had been on grain free taste of wild and stools were fine. Last week he had the most mucus-y stool I’ve ever seen with an awful awful smell. The first time it even had like blood-tinged mucus on it. It lasted for a week but only had that blood mucus look the first day. He had his annual check in and they told me the usual - as long as his energy levels don’t decrease, he keeps eating, and no vomiting blah blah. It has gotten better by this appt with rice and chicken. They also recommended changing foods off grain free. We’ve been trying Purina pro plan sensitive stomach salmon shredded whatever whatever. He got better for a couple of days and then today boom right back to that disgusting mucus coated loose stool. Never straight up watery but very hard to pick up if you know what I mean. 
Sorry for the detailed descriptions I’m a nurse I can’t help it. 
Anyways I guess I’m looking for advice on what to do here. His mood and energy has never decreased. But it can’t feel good to be crapping like this and he must not be absorbing nutrients and obviously something is irritated. I’m planning on doing rice mixed with his food for a little while but what else can I do?? 
Does anyone else have a large adult golden (high 70s lbs) with loose stools and what food have you ultimately gone with?


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## Piper_the_goldenpuppy (Aug 26, 2016)

Honestly, I'm not sure its a food issue if your dog had been doing well on TOTW for a long time with no problem. Of course, its a possibility, but if everything had been good, I would wonder if the diarrhea is due to either an infection, or possible foreign body partial obstruction/irritation. Adult dogs have to get pretty sick and dehydrated before their energy level decreases etc, even if they have an infection. It can happen really quickly with severe diarrhea/vomiting, but otherwise, if its just low grade loose stools, it might not affect your dog that much, but ultimately might affect how they absorb nutrients. 

About a year ago, my dog started having mushy gross stools, and fecal tests showed that she had whipworms (which my heart guard doesn't prevent). Its not uncommon in my area, and she went back to normal after receiving treatment. Fortunately they never came back so I didn't have to switch her heart worm preventative. 

So I would probably go to the vet and have a fecal sample or two run to check for parasites, and also consider an x-ray to make sure there isn't something stuck in the GI system. The nasty smell + mucus makes me think giardia. Something causing a partial obstruction could cause diarrhea/mushy stools, where a complete obstruction would cause your dog to stop having bowel movements entirely. I'd probably do those two things before changing the food to an entirely different brand. 

With that being said, I use PPP SSS (the lamb version) and love it! Its a great food. Although, I get the kibble version and not the weird shredded stuff .

Your pup is beautiful! I love dark goldens! Hope he's feeling better soon.


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## Izziebeth (Mar 26, 2018)

I’ll second the thought that it may be something like giardia. (Extra stinky with mucous def rings true for that.) If you haven’t run a fecal test recently, I’d recommend taking one to your vet. If you have and it came back clear, perhaps consider a retest as false negatives are common.

The mucous indicates something is irritating the intestines. While food is a possibility, after so much the time without troubles, I’d be looking to other causes first.


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## gussmama (Oct 26, 2016)

Thank you for these responses. I brought a sample last week that they send off for heart worm so it probably wouldn’t pick up GI things right. I’d probably have to drop another sample off?


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Did the Vet run a full blood work up on your boy? It's possible another stool sample may be needed, but I'm not sure. 

I feed my boy the Purina Pro Plan for Sensitive Skin and Stomach, the salmon formula. 
I've heard and read the shredded formula is not as good to feed, you may want to try the PPP SSS Salmon or Lamb formula that is not shredded. 

What treats are you giving? My boy does not tolerate poultry of any kind, I only give him Salmon treats, I buy the Plato Pet treats. 

Here is thread discussing why you shouldn't feed grain free food-

https://www.goldenretrieverforum.co...low-taurine-grain-free-foods-dcm-goldens.html


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## Izziebeth (Mar 26, 2018)

gussmama said:


> Thank you for these responses. I brought a sample last week that they send off for heart worm so it probably wouldn’t pick up GI things right. I’d probably have to drop another sample off?


The only way to know which tests they ran on the poo is to ask, unless it tells you on the invoice.


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

Yeah, it definitely sounds like a parasite more than the food. Mucousy, blood, very loose - all signs of giardia or coccidia. The fecal may well come back negative - both are hard to get positives on. I would ask your vet about treating for giardia even if you get a negative.


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## gussmama (Oct 26, 2016)

Hey everyone. Quick update. Talked to the vet who I really like. Giving Gus probiotics and a round of metronidazole. Next step after that depending on Gus’s response is an X-ray. Thanks for all your advice. Also gonna stick with PPP now for food based on everything I’ve read on this forum. It’s so nice to get advice so quickly.


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