[katdog5911]

My 11 week old puppy has been having increasingly looser poop. We have been to the vet and spoken on the phone as well. We tried a bland diet for 2 days but it did not help. Now she is on Hill's ID and metronidazole for a week. If that doesn't help the vet suggested a hydrolyzed diet. Lucy has been normal in every way other than the loose poop. She has had her stool tested and it has been negative.
When we brought her home at 8 weeks, her breeder had her on metronidazole and panacur for a week. She said it was to prevent any issues with giardia etc. The vet thought that was odd unless they have had issues with this. I don't know if that is a common practice for a breeder. My 3 1/2 yr old boy that we got at 10 weeks wasn't on anything.
I did switch her diet over the course of a week from 4 Health to Pro Plan for large breed puppy. She also had a her second round of vaccinations.
Any thoughts?

 

[tc68]

Maybe it's all that medication. How many times a day on average does she poop?

 

[Sunflowers]

Have you fasted her at all?
48 hours, no food, gives the gut a chance to reset.

Also, you switched her to a food she obviously isn’t doing well on. Let’s look at ingredients.

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The Pro Plan has corn, wheat and peas. All things that they don’t digest well.
What I would do is fast her for 48 hours to give her gut a break, then go back to the foos she was on.
I am assuming her stools were ok when she arrived.

 

[tc68]

Add a tablespoon of canned pure pumpkin puree and a tablespoon of plain yogurt to the meal. Pumpkin firms up poop.

 

[Magwart]

Have you specifically run a parvo test?

 

[bigblackdog]

Have you fasted her at all?
48 hours, no food, gives the gut a chance to reset.

An 11 week old puppy should not be fasted for 48 hours...this is way too long for a young puppy. Young puppies 12 hours fasting helps to calm things...older pups/dogs anything over 8 months can be fasted for 24 hours.

Let the gut rest...cook up some white rice (over cook it with extra water) and some skinless, boneless chicken breasts cooked up. Three parts rice to 1 part shredded chicken. I board dogs for a living and always keep cooked chicken and cooked rice in the freezer. Most dogs are back to normal in no time.

 

[Petra's Dad]

An 11 week old puppy should not be fasted for 48 hours...this is way too long for a young puppy. Young puppies 12 hours fasting helps to calm things...older pups/dogs anything over 8 months can be fasted for 24 hours.

Let the gut rest...cook up some white rice (over cook it with extra water) and some skinless, boneless chicken breasts cooked up. Three parts rice to 1 part shredded chicken. I board dogs for a living and always keep cooked chicken and cooked rice in the freezer. Most dogs are back to normal in no time.

I was thinking similar. I wouldn't want to fast a dog that young for 2 days .

 

[Sunflowers]

They are designed to gorge and fast.
48 hours with no food will reset an inflamed gut.
Tell me what harm you think 48 hours with no food will do.

 

[Kari01]

Hah, well yes I think I would agree with the vet and guess that the breeder might be not being totally truthful, and they probably have an issue with Giardia. Panacur is totally normal for breeders to use and covers all general worms, but why would she have the puppies on Metronidazole as well? Metronidazole is a vet prescribed medication only (unlike Panacur). Both Panacur and Metronidazole are used to treat Giardia. That makes zero sense unless she has issues with reoccurring Giardia on her premises. You said the fecal sample was negative, when was this done? It might be worth having a second test to specifically look for Giardia.

 

[Sunflowers]

I do agree that it is unusual for a pup to come to its new home on Metro.

 

[katdog5911]

She was on a chicken/rice diet and her poop was horrible even then.

She poops about 4 or 5 times a day.

She had another stool sample taken yesterday at the vet. Waiting on results.

No specific parvo test. Doesn't sound like the vet is thinking that as a possibility at this point. She isn't vomiting, normal activity levels, eating, drinking, no blood in stool.

Today her poop was looking better. The one after dinner actually had logs! Soft ones but log shape. She loves the Hill's ID food. Of course that food is only temporary until we can get the diarrhea under control.

She has had 2 doses of metro so far. Another one due this evening.

She is acting totally normal. She doesn't seem to have a sense of urgency to poop. Just when she did it was loose. And she goes all night without pooping.

Hoping this round of metro will help her poop get back to normal. Should I add some probiotics to her food?

Really not sure what food to put her on when things get back to normal. My 3 1/2 yr old is on the Purina Pro Plan and does great on it. Had him on Victor and also Wellness Core before the PPP. The PPP has been the best for him so far. Maybe Royal Canin for GSD puppies?

 

[Lexie’s mom]

All of those Purina or Royal Canine, Iams or Science Hills diet etc., just read the list of the ingredients....crap...
I have a very good experience with Fromm, I don’t think it’s ever been recalled and I also use dry freeze and raw and home cooked.

 

[katdog5911]

I have had prior dogs on Fromm. Also have tried raw. For now I am going to stick with the "crap" dog food. I used to think that too but have changed my mind. My boy has been doing the best on the PPP.
My puppy absolutely loves the Hill's ID. But that is only a temporary food. Hope to see some normal poop soon.

 

[Sabis mom]

My first thought with pups having loose stool with no other symptoms is over feeding.
I agree with a fast but 12 hours is all I have ever needed with a young pup. It gives them a chance to empty out and then I start with small meals, quarter cup every 3-4 hours for 24 hours then half a cup 4 times a day. Up it by 1/8 or 1/4 total every day. If stools loosen you are overfeeding. On PPP I think a pup that age (20 lbs?) is recommended 2.5-3 cups?
Don't get hung up on food right now, if it's working go with it and if you decide to change later then if you like perhaps ask for advice on that. For right now just get his guts straight.

 

[katdog5911]

Overfeeding crossed my mind too. I was giving 2 cups of PPP. But really full cups and then treats here and there too. Still waiting on stool results. (2nd stool sample)
Her poops are all over the place today and yesterday. (not literally. Consistency wise) But I have been only feeding the kibble and canned food I got at the vet since Saturday evening. So we will see.

 

[Sabis mom]

Overfeeding crossed my mind too. I was giving 2 cups of PPP. But really full cups and then treats here and there too. Still waiting on stool results. (2nd stool sample)
Her poops are all over the place today and yesterday. (not literally. Consistency wise) But I have been only feeding the kibble and canned food I got at the vet since Saturday evening. So we will see.

How many times a day are you feeding? At 11 weeks 3 times a day should be minimum, I would prefer 4 if possible. I know people work. All that food at one time in a pups tummy would absolutely cause this.

 

[katdog5911]

How many times a day are you feeding? At 11 weeks 3 times a day should be minimum, I would prefer 4 if possible. I know people work. All that food at one time in a pups tummy would absolutely cause this.

At least 3 times a day.

 

[katdog5911]

Well, today we have 2 normal poops so far. I have not fed anything other than the prescribed kibble. (well a little pumpkin) So hope we are back on the road to regular poop. I really am up in the air about what to feed after this. I have the PPP that I was feeding. I don't know if I want to go back to that though. Not sure if that is what caused the issue. Might try Royal Canin. I know a lot of people don't like them, but then again, a lot of people do. Trying to decide on chicken or lamb formula.

 

[Buckelke]

pumpkin is our go to cure around here, a serving spoonful 3 or 4 times a day. At 11 weeks his little puppy body is changing. I'd look at the food and treats if the tests don't show anything. Lucky was 6 yo when we got him and bloody diarrhea was a panic attack. Trying different dog foods only helped temporarily. In my research I stumbled across a recommendation for Royal Canin. Something about GS's having a longer intestine that can cause digestive problems. I do not like cleaning up the floor so we tried it. It was the end of the diarrhea. Duke eats pretty much anything that isn't tied down, fortunately he throws most of it back up. That's just being a puppy. In your place, I'd give the Royal Canin for German Shepherds a try. It does come in a puppy formula.

 

[katdog5911]

So for 3 days we had normal poops. Vet said to slowly start adding in her regular kibble. I threw in a small handful for last nights meal. Several hours later.....gas that cleared the room and loose poop. So back to the I/D only. I think I will try the Royal Canin for GSD puppies. If that doesn't work then vet suggested a hydrolyzed dog food. Hoping it is just the PPP that disagrees with her. Is normal poop too much to wish for!?