# Why would a food make a puppy constipated..?



## chelle (Feb 1, 2009)

I just do not understand. So, yes, here comes yet *another* puppy food question. 

Short history: difficult switchover from crap Purina pup chow at 11 weeks. Later, coccidia. Later, full anal glands and bacterial infection. All clear at six months.

Bailey eats Innova Large Breed Puppy. If I do not add pumpkin daily, he will become constipated and will strain to eliminate. He's never cried or showed signs of pain, but it would take him awhile and he'd often move to 2 or 3 places to get the job done. 

He seems very healthy. His coat is very nice. He seems to like the food just fine. He poops pretty much right on nearly the same schedule each day. With the pumpkin, his stools are great - firm, but not too firm or dry. Little to no straining. At one point, they were getting runny at the end of the elimination, but that's not even happening any more.

Is this ODD? I hear so many complain of diarrhea, *not* constipation.

Would you suspect the food or some other problem? I keep hearing about how some foods are "too rich" for some pups, but maybe we DO need to go to a "richer" food?

Any input is appreciated, this one has me stumped. I don't mind adding the pumpkin, but I'd prefer to not have to always do this every day.

Oh - edit to add - I understand too many bones can also bring this on. He gets some kind of chewy most every day for a time. At one point I was limiting the chews to almost nothing and it didn't seem to make a difference.


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

When he does go, is it hard and dry or is the stool okay without pumpkin? Some dogs just move around a lot during the process.


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

Is the stool hard and dry or is it okay, without the pumpkin? Some dogs just move around a lot during the process.


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## chelle (Feb 1, 2009)

msvette2u said:


> When he does go, is it hard and dry or is the stool okay without pumpkin? Some dogs just move around a lot during the process.


The stool is okay, but harder and even smaller in diameter?!. Not dry though. And the poor guy takes twice as long and moves around 2-3 times as much trying to get it all out. It probably bugs me more than him, it looks miserable to work that hard! The pumpkin just makes such a difference - squat, and twenty+ seconds? later, done.


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## BlackGSD (Jan 4, 2005)

How much water does he drink in a day?


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## chelle (Feb 1, 2009)

BlackGSD said:


> How much water does he drink in a day?


As much as he wants. He has a large water bowl and he'll naturally drink more after exercise, after waking up, meal time, etc... otherwise he just goes and takes a sip here and there. I suppose I fill that bowl up twice to maybe three times per day? The other dogs occasionally take a sip out of it, too, though... it's hard to say! But he does get all the water he wants.


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## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

It could be just his constitution or this could be leftover from all of his GI problems. I would put him on probiotics forever. Doing that might just solve the problem. Get the refrigerated kind from the health food store. Pumpkin is a prebiotic so that is also good to use. 

Have you tried adding other things like yogurt, salmon oil caps, non-fat cottage cheese or high quality canned food? Fresh foods are always a good addition to a kibble diet.


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

Just try a different food. If it improves, it was the food.
BTW, a small, hard stool is good, dry stool is not good. 
A small, hard stool means he is deriving all the nutrition from his food and there's little waste. 

People sometimes think diarrhea when it's just a soft stool (no rushing around or having an accident in the house because he could not hold it), or constipation when it's just a nice firm stool. 
I've seen dogs actually walk all over the yard while pooping. Maybe yours is one of them? Perhaps your vet could help describe what is normal vs. abnormal stools.


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## sable123 (Jul 11, 2010)

chelle said:


> I just do not understand. So, yes, here comes yet *another* puppy food question.
> 
> Short history: difficult switchover from crap Purina pup chow at 11 weeks. Later, coccidia. Later, full anal glands and bacterial infection. All clear at six months.
> 
> ...


You need a food with BEET PULP as the fiber.


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## chelle (Feb 1, 2009)

sable123 said:


> You need a food with BEET PULP as the fiber.


Hmm, ok. That's brand new information to me. Thank you.


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## chelle (Feb 1, 2009)

BowWowMeow said:


> It could be just his constitution or this could be leftover from all of his GI problems. I would put him on probiotics forever. Doing that might just solve the problem. Get the refrigerated kind from the health food store. Pumpkin is a prebiotic so that is also good to use.
> 
> Have you tried adding other things like yogurt, salmon oil caps, non-fat cottage cheese or high quality canned food? Fresh foods are always a good addition to a kibble diet.


I do mix the pumpkin with high quality canned food because he doesn't like pumpkin and will refuse the food if I mix with pumpkin alone.

I have not yet tried the other things you mentioned. Would it be wise to alternate those? Cottage cheese added one day, yogurt the next, etc?



msvette2u said:


> Just try a different food. If it improves, it was the food.
> BTW, a small, hard stool is good, dry stool is not good.
> A small, hard stool means he is deriving all the nutrition from his food and there's little waste.
> 
> ...


I'm almost to the point I'm ready to post vids of his poop attempts and pics of his poo. Ok, that's a little over the top!!! But I might do it anyway! 

I'm very worried about changing foods. It was very difficult when I went from the cheap crap to the Innova. I'm hoping if I do change foods, it'll be easier since I'll be going from a better brand to something along the same lines.

I chose Innova LBP because it seems to be pretty highly regarded, scores high on the dog food rating sites and protein/calcium/phosphorus levels on par with where they should be. 

I know I'm being paranoid.  I'll take the harder stools over the diarrhea anyday, though.


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

Well the upside is the pumpkin kind of sticks together the kibble so if your pup eats fast like mine it makes him less likely to choke on it.....If the combo is working I would not worry about it. Just keep an eye on the shelves at Aldi - hopefully cheap canned pumpkin will be hitting soon.


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