Poop, Poop, And More Poop!

[Guest AngelPup]

Hi all. I'm looking for some advice on reducing the number/frequency of poops per day. Brady has been treated for worms and will do another round of Panacur starting on Monday, the vet also prescribed Flagyl after the Panacur and a bland diet didn't seem to help with his diarrhea. That did the trick immediately and his stools are well formed. Unfortunately, now that's he's completely on Diamond Naturals Chicken and Rice for Large Breeds, he is going multiple times a day--three to four a day, sometimes five!

 

When I first adopted him he was going pretty regularly twice a day--once after breakfast and once after dinner, which I expected, since every other dog I've had did the same thing. Unfortunately, I can't feed him the same dog food that the adoption agency did, since they just fed whatever they had (mixed several brands together).

 

Iams green bag and Purina Pro Plan was recommended, but I was hoping to find something a little better than those two brands but not too expensive--they are my fall back, last resort foods.

 

My head is spinning researching all the different foods and I really don't want to spend too much time and money testing different brands and flavors/ingredients. I was going to try 4Health Large Breed from Tractor Supply next, but the ingredient list is very similar to what I'm feeding now, so I don't expect any change with that one. My next try would be either 4Health grain free or TOTW, but before I do that, I wanted to get some feedback from those with experience testing different foods.

 

If you're dog has good poops (well formed) on a 'regular' schedule (twice a day), what dog food are you using?

[Guest Waterdog66]

My Audrey has been very regular (Twice Per Day without any issues) for about a month now.

 

I got very lucky with her food as a friend of mine who adopted last year recommended what it took her a while to settle on. I got a small bag of Merrick Grain Free Chicken and Sweet Potato and Audrey loved it so we have been feeding it ever since. A 33 pound bag is not too pricey but certainly far from the cheapest premium brand.

She gets a cup and a half in the morning and a cup and a half + Mix-Ins in the evening. (She is about 65 pounds)

I usually mix in a spoon of Yogurt, Peanut Butter and/or a couple of spoon fulls of Merrick Canned Food. (She loves Grammies Pot Pie)

Interesting thing as that she turned her nose up at training treats so I used kibble instead and she always worked for it.

It did take a bit of time to figure out what volume worked best for her. Just enough that she is hungry at meal time and eats it all without leaving some behind but not too small that she does not thrive. (She has gained a few pounds since coming home)

Edited May 31, 2013 by Waterdog66

[a_daerr]

I don't understand where you've gotten the idea that dogs should only poop twice a day?

If the poop is solid and the dog is otherwise healthy, what's the problem?

[Josie]

 

If you're dog has good poops (well formed) on a 'regular' schedule (twice a day), what dog food are you using?

 

what do you mean by regular schedule (twice a day)?

Otis poops when we go for walks (he will poop in the yard just when he as digestives problems), 2walks a day so we can say it's twice a day?

but depending on the duration of walk he will poop multiple times...

for a 45minutes/ 1 hour walk he will usually poop 3 to 4 times

Each poops are no the same... frist two are "ok".. number 3 (and above) gets more less "well formed" and if it's a really long walk sometimes there's the mysterious invisble poop (usually 2-3 small liquid drops ).

[Wonder]

Diamond poops about 6 times a day. He's on the same food as Lucky who poops twice a day.

I don't think the food matters.

[Guest AngelPup]

I don't understand where you've gotten the idea that dogs should only poop twice a day?

If the poop is solid and the dog is otherwise healthy, what's the problem?

 

I've had several dogs and they've never pooped more than twice a day. I've never heard of a dog pooping four or five times a day (unless they have the runs), so, to me, it appears that the food I'm feeding is going right through him--I'm questioning the quality. Maybe it has a lot if fillers (more brown rice/rice products than necessary).? I have no idea. It actually looks like there's more coming out than going in! He's pooped four times in a 12 hour period..... That doesn't seem normal to me. But this is my first greyhound, so perhaps they are different?

 

I can understand that things move along more when they are on walks, which is fine. It just seems as though it's excessive and I might as well dump the entire bag of dog food in the backyard...

 

My main concerns is that if he needs to go THAT many times a day, how will we ever be able to leave him for more than a few hours at a time?! It's not an issue on most days, since there is typically someone always home, but there are the occasional days that the entire family likes to go out or will attend a family function for several hours.... He went three times yesterday and I was gone for an hour after dinner, and he pooped in my daughter's bedroom. He hasn't had an accident for over two weeks (I've had him for three weeks today).

[Guest AngelPup]

My Audrey has been very regular (Twice Per Day without any issues) for about a month now.

 

I got very lucky with her food as a friend of mine who adopted last year recommended what it took her a while to settle on. I got a small bag of Merrick Grain Free Chicken and Sweet Potato and Audrey loved it so we have been feeding it ever since. A 33 pound bag is not too pricey but certainly far from the cheapest premium brand.

 

She gets a cup and a half in the morning and a cup and a half + Mix-Ins in the evening. (She is about 65 pounds)

I usually mix in a spoon of Yogurt, Peanut Butter and/or a couple of spoon fulls of Merrick Canned Food. (She loves Grammies Pot Pie)

 

Interesting thing as that she turned her nose up at training treats so I used kibble instead and she always worked for it.

It did take a bit of time to figure out what volume worked best for her. Just enough that she is hungry at meal time and eats it all without leaving some behind but not too small that she does not thrive. (She has gained a few pounds since coming home)

 

 

 

 

Thanks! I'll look into that food. Brady is close to 80 lbs and I've been feeding him two cups in the morning and two cups in the evening--he always finishes and looks for more, so I'm not sure if he's getting enough, but we have a weigh in on Monday, so I'll know then if he's gaining or losing.

 

Brady will eat ANYTHING and we regularly give him kibble for treats!

 

 

what do you mean by regular schedule (twice a day)?

Otis poops when we go for walks (he will poop in the yard just when he as digestives problems), 2walks a day so we can say it's twice a day?

but depending on the duration of walk he will poop multiple times...

for a 45minutes/ 1 hour walk he will usually poop 3 to 4 times

Each poops are no the same... frist two are "ok".. number 3 (and above) gets more less "well formed" and if it's a really long walk sometimes there's the mysterious invisble poop (usually 2-3 small liquid drops ).

 

I've read and have had experience with my other, previous, dogs that when you feed on a regular schedule, they typically poop on a regular schedule. Now of course, there are variations--on walks, feeding extra treats, etc. And I agree not all dogs are alike in that area.

 

With Brady, there is no regularity as far as when he'll go--it varies widely. But he has been going three or four (or MORE) times a day lately, so I'm just trying to figure out if it's the food or just the way he is. I've never experienced this before.

 

Diamond poops about 6 times a day. He's on the same food as Lucky who poops twice a day.

 

I don't think the food matters.

 

Well, so maybe it is just the way Brady is. It's hard for me to say because he had diarrhea when I first got him--although he consistently went twice a day the first few days, once after breakfast and once after dinner.

[a_daerr]

 

I've had several dogs and they've never pooped more than twice a day.

 

Okay, I understand now. I was trying to figure out where you learned that two was the magic number!

 

FWIW, my guys go at least three or four times a day a piece. They're big dogs- both around 80 pounds. So I don't think there's anything wrong with Brady or his food (especially if he pops more than one squat on a single walk). It probably has less to do with the food and more with your individual dog. I would 100% advise against switching food in an attempt to get less poops. It can result in disastrous consequences, as you can see from the copious amount of poop posts on this board. I'd worry less about the number and more about the consistency. If the poops are solid, it's probably best to leave well enough alone. We switched five times before finding Iams, and every time prior to that was a diarrhea-laden disasten. Iams is a fine company, by the way. They've been around forever, and their kibble is not loaded with fillers. Ask your vet. All the hoopla regarding "grain free," "limited ingredient," "organic," "wholistic," etc. is mostly a fad and marketing scheme to get you to fork out $70 a bag. (And it probably won't get you any less poops anyway.)

 

 

Also, keep in mind that Waterdog's Audrey is a female and weighs significantly less than Brady, so comparing the two is like comparing apples and oranges.

Edited May 31, 2013 by a_daerr

[Guest Doggone]

When Autumn came to me (March 1st), she had been on Blue Diamond, and even though she seemed to settle in immediately, her tummy/poops didn't reflect that. Growls (tummy, not her ), horrendous gas, and orangey/liquidy poops.......not quite pudding, but almost impossible to pick up.

The group she came from seemed to prefer the more upscale brands, but after discovering this site and reading good things about IAMS green bag, I decided to switch. I did it gradually, and by now, it's her mainstay. For her, it's what works! Her tummy seems happy, and her poops are normal colored and easy to pick up (not that I particularly enjoy doing so ).

If I hadn't had a number of other dogs in my past (mixed breeds, usually from a shelter) who ate whatever was on sale, or I had coupons for, I don't know whether I would've gone against the group's recommendation. But all those dogs were healthy and lived to fairly decent ages without major problems, so I felt comfortable with the IAMS level of quality. I know other food are rated higher, but for now, what works, works .

[ramonaghan]

Also, keep in mind that Waterdog's Audrey is a female and weighs significantly less than Brady, so comparing the two is like comparing apples and oranges.

And I have a 60 lb female who poops 3-4 times a day (on about 2.5 cups total of Blue Buffalo Life Protection...plus treats, of course). So, I agree that it seems to have more to do with the individual dog than any specific food. I totally understand your concern if he's not able to hold it and has accidents inside, but keep in mind that at three weeks he's also still adjusting to a new home and routine. It may work itself out in time...no pun intended.

[Guest OPointyDog]

We have quite variable poop quantities here. Zoe (68lb female) eats Iams red bag and she goes twice a day, but the poop volume per episode is pretty large. Sometimes I need two bags! It took us months to find a food that didn't produce pudding poo, so we're happy with it. She also gets FortiFlora with her food. Mika (70lb male) eats a mix of Purina DCO (prescription high fiber food) and boiled hamburger and rice. He had neverending liquid diarrhea for over 3 months and lost a lot of weight, and we are thrilled to finally have a food that produces consistent solid poop. The high fiber means he goes 4 times a day, but he goes twice on each walk, and it's fine. The volume per episode is smaller than Zoe, but he seems to need to go more often. He's regular and gaining weight again, so we're happy with that. By most metrics, the prescription food isn't great quality (corn, beet pulp and chicken meal are the first 3 ingredients) but he's not sick anymore, and the food works for him. So that's what's important to me.

 

The bottom line, I think, is that every dog is different and if you're getting consistently good poop and the dog has good energy, is maintaining weight and has a good coat, then you've probably got the right food for that dog.

[Guest RMarie]

You haven't had him long, correct? I recall him having diarrhea and such. Is he too skinny? Are you trying to put weight on him?

 

James was a mess when we got him. Almost 10lbs under racing weight, so feed him A LOT of food, most of which went straight through him. GeorgeofNE gave me good advice and suggested reducing the amount of food. It seems counterintuitive, but it worked. We cut back the amount of food we fed James and saw less pooping but more weight gain. He's now back to his racing weight.

 

Maybe try cutting back to 3 cups/day? I also think a lot of it is still stress. I agree with a_daerr, I wouldn't change his food, yet. We feed Iams green bag. When we first started it, James was pooping ALL the time (though not inside). He eventually got used to the food and now only poops 3 times/day, sometimes only twice.

[Guest AngelPup]

Ok, thanks for the feedback everyone. I feel much better. I was thinking Diamond maybe had too much filler or something, which was causing Brady to go multiple times a day--I've honestly never saw a dog poo so much!! He seems happy and healthy and his coat is VERY soft, so I guess I'll stick to Diamond Naturals and see how things go.

[Batmom]

Couple things worth investigating:

 

- Check his weight and make sure he isn't getting more food than he needs.

- Keep him outside longer (whether walks or fenced turnout) when he goes out for potty.

- Keep a record of *when* he goes. Dogs' digestion can differ -- I've had some that prefer to go right after a meal, and others who really have to go about an hour later.

 

If any other issues resolve and volume is still way high, I'd probably switch foods. Note tho that the popular grain free isn't the answer for every dog. One of the fancy grain-free foods produced gigantic amounts of poop here -- couldn't figure out where it was all coming from .

[Fruitycake]

Monty, when given more food than normal, will poop exponentially more than he eats (so it seems to us when we have to pick it up!). And though he tends to be on the thin side, when we increase his food even slightly from what he gets normally because he dropped a couple pounds, it drastically increase the poop instead of his weight. Very frustrating. Our joke is that he's violating the laws of physics by creating mass (or he's "pooping food he hasn't even eaten yet").

 

Monty is 75 lbs, and eats about 3.5 cups of TOTW Pacific Stream daily, split into 3 meals, and poops twice a day unless we take him for long walks. Then he starts with the "pooping food he hasn't eaten yet" (and it isn't pretty). Monty's digestive system gets used to longer walks after we've been training him with them, so his gut seems to learn and take things slower. But then winter happens and during winter we don't do the really long walks anymore, so we run through this problem every spring when weather gets nicer. Maybe part of this is just Brady's digestive system getting used to your routine?

 

I wish you luck! Part of it might settle down after his worming sequence is done and he gets settled in on his food and your home routine. Or maybe his body just likes to hurry stuff out.

[Feisty49]

Annie is 65-66 pounds and goes three times a day 99% of the time. I can almost set a clock by her regularity. But if I'm not home for her late afternoon need to go poo, she holds it until I get there. I think you'll find that if our dogs have decent poos we don't care how often they go.

 

As far as what kind of food and trying to avoid something like Iams in the Green Bag: The more you read this forum, the more you'll find that there are many many people who feed Iams in the Green Bag with no problems. You'll find many of us who don't buy into the idea that only high-end food is good enough. My advice is feed what works as far as a nice coat and good poo and fight the urge to get the very best possible because you'll drive yourself crazy.

[Hubcitypam]

Is he pooping some or all of these poops on a walk? Poodle has always pooped to mark after he runs out of pee. Buddy has always had good poops on Purina Pro plan but we had a fun walk last week. We were going down a paved alley and he sniffed and chattered and sniffed and chattered then too a HUGE dump, which was solid . We go down 2 houses and he repeats sniffing and chattering. I have to use the second poop bag as the first one is full. A few more houses and he repeats again...only he doesn't need to poop and it is really runny and I have to get a Whataburger cup and scoop it up.

 

He has never before or since pooped more than once on a walk and is just fine. Somebody's pee got him stirred up.

Edited June 1, 2013 by Hubcitypam

[Busderpuddle]

I feed Ruby the salmon food from Costco and her poos are firm and easy to pick up, and there are 2 every day without fail. She never poos on our walks, ever. We have tried several other foods due to some gas issues, but keep coming back to this one. Her gas is pretty much non-existant right now and her weight and coat look great. I tried the Green Bag and she was pooping about 4-6 times a day and it looked like we had a horse in the backyard. It was awful, but she loved it. She does decide every now and then to not eat a meal and that used to scare me, so I would try something else to entice her. Since it never lasted long, I decided to let her decide when she is hungry and just stick with the food that is working. This morning she didn't eat a bite, just went and laid in the sun. Smart girl.........knows how to keep her figure. Good luck !

[greysmom]

Third, fourth and fifth the idea of doing what is right for your dog and not worrying so much about what your feeding him. If he is regular, and his poops are well formed, and he is holding his weight well (neither gaining or losing at a good weight), then I wouldn't change a thing.

 

FWIW, my four will poop between 2-4 times a day, depending on lots of different variables. And don't worry about leaving him eventually. As long as he doesn't have SA and anxiety-poops, he will be fine holding it for several hours. Do you alone training to get him used to the longer times.

[Guest AngelPup]

Thanks for all the advice everyone! Brady continues to go four or five times a day. They do seem to be getting softer and the last one wasn't as large as the others and was very runny/soft. He has another vet appointment on Monday and will also be starting the second round of Panacur. I'll check his weight while there too. I don't think I'm over feeding him, as he always seems like he's still hungry after he's finished his meal. We'll see.

 

I agree with everyone about sticking with the food that works for Brady and not going crazy finding the 'best' food. I really only want to be sure I'm feeding him a quality, wholesome food that will keep him healthy and avoiding the foods that are mostly filler, etc.. I don't believe it has to be top of the line.

 

He has only pooped on a walk once. We typically take him to the backyard to 'go' before going for a walk. The time he went on a walk was a surprise because he had just went a little while earlier. We've only been taking him on short walks since he's so new and was nervous at first.

 

I'm just going to see what the vet says and take it one step at a time.

[Guest zombrie]

You may have said this but I didn't see it - how much are you feeding him? If he's getting a lot then that = more poo Mine typically go 2 times a day, sometimes 3. Honestly though, I wouldn't worry about it as long as his stool is not loose and he is able to control it.

Edited to say mine get 2 cups of Natural Balance a day + add ins. I'm looking to switch food though because Natural Balance just sold and I don't like the company they sold to.

Edited June 2, 2013 by zombrie

[Guest AngelPup]

Hi Brie. I've been feeding Brady two cups in the morning and two in the evening, plus the occasional treats. He always finishes and still seems hungry, but I've been hesitant to add more because of the quantity of output, plus he has a vet appointment tonight, so I plan on weighing him.

 

His stools look a bit loose/very soft to me lately, but nowhere near the pudding poop he used to produce. I'll address it with his vet to see what she thinks. He is starting his second round of Panacur today and I'll have the vet check for worms again.

 

Time will tell. Thanks for the advice!

 

Maureen

[Guest AngelPup]

Ok, we're definitely back to pudding poop. Luckily we finally know why (will get to that). Had a vet recheck last night and brought a stool sample. I gave the vet the lowdown on the past three weeks (stool improved dramatically after starting antibiotics, but then got worse--looser and more stools as the days passed) and she suspected that he wasn't digesting his food as he should and thought either his body wasn't producing enough enzyme (forgot which organ she mentioned might not be working properly) or something was irritating his intestines. In addition to his second round of Panacur that we started yesterday, she prescribed another round of antibiotics--this time for 14 days instead of 7.

 

I also mentioned to her that I noticed Brady had been shaking his head a lot lately and scratching his ears, so I suspected an ear infection (plus they are SO red!). She checked them out and did a smear to look under a microscope and found that he had a yeast infection, which she said most likely was caused by an allergy--great.

 

Because of Brady's digestive (and potential allergy symptoms) she suggested that I try a dog food like Hill's Sensitive Stomach or similar food. She then said that she has several clients that feed their dogs that have these types of issues TOTW with good results. She suggested I try that, since it's probably less expensive than Hill's.

 

As we were checking out, I asked about the stool sample and they said it would be a few more minutes, so we waited. Turns out he has HOOKWORM! They said that would DEFINITELY cause the symptoms he was experiencing and to come back in a month with another stool sample.

 

Poor Brady. No wonder he's going so often and it's so mushy!!

 

I'm going to hold off on switching food to see how all this medication helps, now that I know he has worms. Besides the Panacur and antibiotic, I gave him his monthly Heartguard yesterday, and the vet also prescribed an ointment for his ears....

 

Keeping fingers and toes crossed.

[greysmom]

Hooks are insidious. You might need a couple rounds of treatment to finally knock them out.

 

Good luck!

[Guest AngelPup]

Thanks! I'm glad that we finally got to the bottom of his poop issues (at least I hope it's the only reason), but I feel so bad for him. I wish there was more I could do, but he IS being treated, so it's just the waiting game (which I hate!).