# Chronic Soft Stool - Need Suggestions



## &RIGGS (Nov 30, 2011)

Thanks in advance for any help/suggestions. Here is the background:

Riggs was diagnosed with Giardia about 2 weeks after we brought him home. After a two-week course of Metro, he was deemed all clear. Another couple of weeks later I came home to him having bad watery diarrhea and vomiting in his crate. I rushed him to the E-vet (concerned about parvo). No parvo, but he was given more Metro, several days worth of Panacur, and Proviable probiotics (paste and pills). The vet said he had inflammation of his intestinal tract and an overgrowth of bacteria in there. 

All was well for a few weeks after that, but about a month ago he had another bout of soft stool (soft serve consistency). I took a sample to my regular vet and had both a fecal and a giardia test done. No giardia, but the vet again said he had inflammation and an overgrowth of bacteria in his intestines. He put him on Metro and another drug that I can't remember at the moment (it was a three-letter name). The vet also put him on Hills I/D food at this time. We had consistently formed, but soft serve-ish stools for the next couple of weeks. 

Since his stools were still not "normal" after his antibotics were finished, the vet gave me Sulfasalazine for 30 days and that is what we're on now (and continuing with the I/D food). Since we've started with the Sulfa, he has fluctuated from soft serve to cow pies depending on the day. 

His energy level is normal, his mood is unchanged. He is eating and drinking as normal. We are not giving him any treats/chews/etc. other than his food at this point. (We've been extremely diligent for the past couple of weeks to try and rule out anything that may make it worse).

I'm starting to feel like I'm failing my poor pup here! :help: Is there something else I should be doing? Should I get a second opinion? It seems that this many weeks of varying stages of soft stool is really not normal. The vet never recommended trying rice/boiled chicken. Should I try that? I'm not fond of the I/D food and I'm anxious to get him back on something better but I hesitate to do anything that might make his poops worse.

Is it possible that he has an allergy to something in the I/D?

ETA: He has also been gaining weight normally. He's about 5.5 months and 55ish pounds.


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## ponyfarm (Apr 11, 2010)

Mine had similiar problems, all starting with the giardia. Eventually did a month of Tylan powder and now feed Instinct Raw Venision burgers. Great poops everytime..albeit a bit expensive for the food..still cheaper than a sick dog!

Good luck.


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## Stosh (Jun 26, 2010)

Try using a probiotic- I use Martin's protiotic and enzymes for dogs and horses. I was a bit skeptical but there's an obvious improvement in Stosh's appetite and he has picture perfect poops. You might also try cooked beef and brown rice for a few days- your pup could be sensitive to chicken. Perhaps the dry food is a bit too rich. It's going to be trial and error for a while


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## Caitydid255 (Aug 28, 2010)

Angus had giardia and that transitioned to EPI. EPI can and will lead to an overgrowth of bacteria in the intestine. What does your pup's stool look like, color, smell, any film? This can help eliminate some possibilities. Good luck with your pup!


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## &RIGGS (Nov 30, 2011)

Stosh said:


> Try using a probiotic- I use Martin's protiotic and enzymes for dogs and horses. I was a bit skeptical but there's an obvious improvement in Stosh's appetite and he has picture perfect poops. You might also try cooked beef and brown rice for a few days- your pup could be sensitive to chicken. Perhaps the dry food is a bit too rich. It's going to be trial and error for a while


I've read a lot of threads on here about probiotics and I just ordered some of the Proviable ones that seemed to help before. Am I correct assuming that there are no issues giving the probiotics when he's on other medications (i.e. no interaction issues, etc.)? 

I think I'll try the beef/rice for a few days and the probiotics when they arrive. Then...perhaps switch him slowly from the bland to a good food with a new protein type? Hopefully I can see improvement. I just want to make sure I don't do anything detrimental.


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## &RIGGS (Nov 30, 2011)

Caitydid255 said:


> Angus had giardia and that transitioned to EPI. EPI can and will lead to an overgrowth of bacteria in the intestine. What does your pup's stool look like, color, smell, any film? This can help eliminate some possibilities. Good luck with your pup!


Stool is light brown or sometimes a bit yellowish. Not sure how to describe smell...it does have an odor that is noticeable. No film currently, although just before his trip to the E-vet he had one stool that had a mucousy film. None recently though.


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## Gretchen (Jan 20, 2011)

Our dog was never the same after treatment from giardia. She is 2 years old and most of her life now has been frequent bouts of colitis. 

As a pup she had Solid Gold wolf cub and Natures's Variety Raw.

As an adult we have not found the perfect food, but RC GSD food has been OK, Nutro Grain free large breed, The Honest Kitchen dehydrated food.

Supplements, Honest Kitchen Perfect Form, and probiotic, FortiFlora.

3-4 smaller meals a day, home cooked organic foods, like veggie soup, boiled meats, and my husband bakes organic wheat/rye bread for some snacks.

I saw that the i/d diet is mostly corn and brewers rice, not a very natural canine diet, I could see why you want to get off it. Like your dog, luckily our dog maintains a good energy and good appetite.


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## Stosh (Jun 26, 2010)

If you're still giving an antibiotic, you don't give the probiotic at the same time obviously. I give the probiotic about 10 mins before the meal. Funny enough, Stosh loves the i/d diet and ate it for a few weeks with great success so you might not want to rule it out as a temporary measure.


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## Caitydid255 (Aug 28, 2010)

Angus had yellowish/light brown stool with the worst odor I've ever smelled. He also had a film over his stools. If your pup starts losing weight but still eats the same it might be something to have your veterinarian rule out.


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## &RIGGS (Nov 30, 2011)

Caitydid255 said:


> Angus had yellowish/light brown stool with the worst odor I've ever smelled. He also had a film over his stools. If your pup starts losing weight but still eats the same it might be something to have your veterinarian rule out.


Thanks for the info. I'll (continue to) keep a close eye on the stools. For now, he's still gaining weight and growing. If I see any change I'll mention it to the vet.



Stosh said:


> If you're still giving an antibiotic, you don't give the probiotic at the same time obviously. I give the probiotic about 10 mins before the meal. Funny enough, Stosh loves the i/d diet and ate it for a few weeks with great success so you might not want to rule it out as a temporary measure.


I am still giving antibiotics. By "at the same time" do you mean that I might give antibiotics in the morning and evening but I'd want to give the probiotics at lunchtime (as an example)...or that I should finish the course of antibiotics before I start with the probiotics?

He's been on the i/d for almost a month now and unfortunately I haven't seen results. So, I think I'll try a switch in protein source.


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## ponyfarm (Apr 11, 2010)

Just to throw more infor out there..my vet does not like the beef/rice mixture for sensitive digestion. The Instinct venison really saved the day for us..we just switched right to it..not graduall as he was having diarrhea anyway. Great stools in just a few days. Good luck..


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## cci058 (Nov 18, 2011)

I've gone through the same thing with Maverick. Same poop description and all..... She developed SIBO - Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth. Never heard of it until vet Dx it. We found it after she was tested for EPI, twice. She doesn't have EPI, but it took forever to find the right combo of food, treats and supplements for her. We did so many food trials over the past 2 years, several different proteins and kibble. Turns out, NO CHICKEN in any way shape or form. No cheese, potato or sweet potato and we are 100% grain free. We finally switched to raw in Jan 2012. She gets Animal Essentials Enzyme and Probiotic, 100% Pure Salmon Oil and Slippery Elm to coat the digestive tract. All treats are 100% freeze dried beef, fish, bison, liver, venison, etc. No other ingredients. She did an immediate 180 and has never been better. Good luck!


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## GSDkid (Apr 19, 2011)

How old is your pup and what are you feeding him? I'm not familiar with Gardia but reason I ask is because when my girl was a pup, she had a really sensitive stomach. We had to switch food brands several times before she settled with Nutro. Don't know if my response will help but just giving you my experience. We've had to fast her for 24 hours several times to get rid of the diarrhea. The boiled chicken and rice definitely helps though.


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## &RIGGS (Nov 30, 2011)

Thanks to everyone for all the advice. I'm always thankful for this forum. 



ponyfarm said:


> Just to throw more infor out there..my vet does not like the beef/rice mixture for sensitive digestion. The Instinct venison really saved the day for us..we just switched right to it..not graduall as he was having diarrhea anyway. Great stools in just a few days. Good luck..


I'll look into the Instinct Venison. Did your vet mention why the beef/rice wasn't something he likes? I'm curious if I could do a venison/rice or elk/rice mixture (we have a freezer full of wild game meat), but wondering if the vet's reason is related to just beef or red meat entirely...



GSDkid said:


> How old is your pup and what are you feeding him?


He's almost 6 months old. He is on Hills I/D at the vet's request. Before that he was on NutriSource puppy (when he came home from the breeder), Kirkland Puppy, and I tried EaglePack Large Breed Puppy for a short while but he absolutely hated it. While we were trying to switch from the Kirkland food to that, he would pick out all of the Kirkland kibble and leave the Eagle Pack. :hammer: Picky guy, I guess.


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## ponyfarm (Apr 11, 2010)

How is your pup's poop? lol. My vet just said the beef products tend to be allergenic and we should avoid them. Have you tried the venison yet..my guys love, love it! The Prairie Kibble Venison is a good one for all life stages, and the Nutro Venison seems to agree with my adult guy.


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## TechieDog (Jan 13, 2011)

We had the identical problem pretty much. Giardia bouts then soft stools, yellowish, smelly then a bout with bacterial colitis. I did the rice/hamburg and rice/chicken thing with probiotics for almost a week responding to the colitis (after meds) and then changed his food to Holistic Select (Anchovy and Sardine) and like magic he is having great stools -actually like rocks, solid, brown, not smelly. Pretty much his entire puppyhood he had soft stools and I had tried several other foods. I also cut down the amount of kibble I am giving him, careful not to overfeed. He is down about 5 pounds from where he was but he seems more healthy. 
Good luck, hope your dog improves quickly.


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## &RIGGS (Nov 30, 2011)

Riggs is doing MUCH better. I did the rice and beef mixture for several days and then slowly transitioned him to Natures Domain Salmon and Sweet Potato. He's now solely on the kibble (and probiotics) and doing well. He'll still periodically have a soft-ish stool but most of them are nice solid logs. FINALLY!

I've noticed his softer stools after he gets very excited (or possibly stressed?) like when we go to a new place or he meets a new puppy friend and they run what must be 5 miles back and forth and up and down and all around :wild:. I've also noticed some with seemingly no reason, although sometimes my boyfriend will sheepishly admit that he dropped some food on the floor and the dog ate it. 

I'm slowly re-introducing various treats, bully sticks, etc. one by one to make sure they aren't causing any of soft stool. 

I must say that I'm frustrated with my vet and will certainly be looking for a new one, considering that he kept pushing the I/D food and antibiotics treatment without any mention of a bland diet/probiotics/potential protein sensitivity.


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## ponyfarm (Apr 11, 2010)

What Kind of probiotics? I am considering for my guy! Glad yours is better!


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## vika (Jan 16, 2012)

my puppy had the same problem, chronic soft stool that smelled like undigested food. very frustrating. the vets are unhelpful because all they know how to recommend is prescription diets. i tried everything: boiled rice and chicken, boiled rice and boiled beef, probiotics, digestive enzymes. this went on for about a month, trial and error. i finally had a light bulb go off after doing much research and stopped feeding the grain (rice). his poop improved instantly. my guess it was some kind of sensitivity or allergy to rice that caused his problems.


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## &RIGGS (Nov 30, 2011)

I initially used Proviable and those worked well. I ran out before I could order more so I picked up a bottle of the kind they carry at PetSmart last week to use in the interim (I can't remember the brand). Those are working well also. 

I've read several recommendations on this forum for different brands so I'd like to do a little more research and settle on a specific brand that comes recommended from others. In the meantime, it seems that many brands might give him what he's needing so that's a big plus!


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