# Puppy loose stools and bad gas



## hollyhollytree (Mar 5, 2014)

I have a four month old vizsla puppy. When we got him from the breeder he was on Purina Beta puppy which we kept him on for about a month but he always had really smelly farts and occasionally loose stools. I gradually changed his food to applaws dry puppy food, really slowly over about two weeks. He's been on it for about 6 weeks. 

In every other way he is thriving, gaining weight, loads of energy and he loves food! He isn't fussy and eats very quickly. But he still has loose stools pretty much every day. They're really dark in colour and sometimes appear a bit grainy. He doesn't go more frequently or have accidents in the house. He doesn't have any signs of allergies like skin problems. 

He also has such smelly farts! They're enough to clear a room. I've never smelt anything so bad! 

I want him to be on good quality food and applaws is really good. He has treats sometimes but we rarely change the brand and they are made for puppies.

I don't know whether to change his food again. I don't want to keep messing around with his diet but I don't want him to be poorly. Any advice?


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## labradrk (Dec 10, 2012)

A lot of the grain free foods can be a bit rich for some dogs. Persistent loose stools and backside omissions is usually a sign that something isn't quite agreeing with the dog. I would be possibly try one that is a bit 'simpler', one main protein source and rice (off the top of my head, James Wellbeloved, Wainrights from Pets at Home, Skinners Duck or Salmon, Autarky Salmon) , and see how he does on that. I'd move onto an adult food, too, as again puppy food can make some dogs loose.


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## rona (Aug 18, 2011)

Another reason could be over feeding, so double check the amounts.

Also, what treats are you giving?


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## hollyhollytree (Mar 5, 2014)

I think I will change the food. Literally just after I wrote this he did the runniest poo in the garden and I've had enough! Is it okay to feed puppies adult food? He has pedigree tasty bites for puppies which are meant to be gentle on puppy tummies.


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## rona (Aug 18, 2011)

https://uk.pedigree.com/our-products/treats/pedigree-tasty-bites-chewy-cubes-with-chicken
Cereals,Meat and Animal Derivatives (including 4% Chicken),Derivatives of Vegetable Origin,Oils and Fats,Various Sugars,Minerals,Seeds,Herbs

Cheese and Beef
Derivatives of Vegetable Origin,Cereals,Meat and Animal Derivatives (including 4% Beef),Various Sugar,Vegetable Protein Extracts,Milk and Milk Derivatives (including 4% Cheese),Fish and fish Derivatives,Minerals,Seeds,Oil and Fats,Herbs

I'd cut these out first


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## pennyLokiMUM (Nov 19, 2016)

Hi your poor thing, its the food, I do not know if I would move to adult food, its normally after growth stage, if its diarrhoea then maybe placing on a bland diet for a few days to let the digestive system heal, James Wells Beloved is okay but speak to pets at home puppy nutritionist they can be really helpful, I would not go near pedigree even for treats, I good food is Burns or Lilys Kitchen but its really up to you, little and often we fed ours and in a slow or raised feeder to stop them wolfing down, also the guidance amounts, go with the smaller amounts, again check with the food manufacture, also your vet is a good source of support


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## JoanneF (Feb 1, 2016)

Have a look at the sticky threads here for some good advice on food and also www.allaboutdogfood.co.uk which independently ranks food and treats. Maybe something grain free would help as grain is used to bulk foods and can be hard to digest so basically comes out as poo. Another cause of lots of loose poo can be overfeeding.


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## Happy Paws2 (Sep 13, 2008)

I agree, change his food to a grainfree food and take him off the puppy ones and see what happen.


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## labradrk (Dec 10, 2012)

hollyhollytree said:


> I think I will change the food. Literally just after I wrote this he did the runniest poo in the garden and I've had enough! Is it okay to feed puppies adult food? He has pedigree tasty bites for puppies which are meant to be gentle on puppy tummies.


Yes it's fine to feed them adult food.

I'd probably lay off the Pedigree treats until you get the food issues sorted. Try bits of chicken or sausage for training treats.....


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## hollyhollytree (Mar 5, 2014)

As far as I'm aware the Applaws food is grain free or at least very minimal grain.

The treats are in the bin! I'm just going to feed him the kibble and see if it improves. Definitely don't over feed him, feed him less than the recommended amount on the package as I thought it seemed excessive. Split into three meals a day. 

Really tricky to know what to do! Xx


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## rona (Aug 18, 2011)

hollyhollytree said:


> As far as I'm aware the Applaws food is grain free or at least very minimal grain.
> 
> The treats are in the bin! I'm just going to feed him the kibble and see if it improves. Definitely don't over feed him, feed him less than the recommended amount on the package as I thought it seemed excessive. Split into three meals a day.
> 
> Really tricky to know what to do! Xx


Always is but you have to eliminate everything but the food, and then you can tell if it's that or something else. 
Have you tried a few days on a light diet like white fish?


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## Mum2Heidi (Feb 17, 2010)

Not sure how much less you feed. Heidi is 7 and just under 8kg. Her food RDA is 130g - 260g for 5kg - 15kg. She has 80g. 

I know yours is a growing pup but it goes to show amounts are recommended and for some dogs can be way out.
She also has a lot less than recommended wet food and raw.

It may be worth cutting it back a bit if you find ditching the treats doesn't help.
As Rona suggests, a bland diet for a while to get his tummy back to rights. Then slowly reintroduce the applaws.


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## solo (Mar 26, 2014)

Hi when my lab was a puppy she was exactly the same, I changed her to Skinner's duck and rice and has been good ever since and she's ,4yrs now, she also cannot eat normal bonios, so she has the carrot bonios from pets at home they look like bonios but are called carrot sticks, Skinner's food has been excellent for her, but I have to order it as not many pet shops sell it, hope it helps.


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## hollyhollytree (Mar 5, 2014)

Update- We cut everything out of his diet except his Applaws kibble and initially I thought it was working. His stools did seem more solid and I didn't notice too much gas (however I was at work all week so I wasn't around him all the time). Then yesterday we woke up to loads of wee puddles on the floor, then diarrhoea. And some vomit that looked like he'd eaten some kitty litter!

He's on antibiotics for a UTI and he can't stop weeing, poor little guy. The vet checked him over and said he seems absolutely fine, didn't seem worried about the food we've been giving him.
He's on some gastro food for a few days but I don't know what to do about his diet!
I'm considering switching to something else. I've had recommendations for Skinners and James Wellbeloved- any other recommendations for a milder diet? It has to be dry food, I don't want to go through the whole chicken and rice and wet food diet.
Thanks! xx


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## smokeybear (Oct 19, 2011)

Changing food is pointless unless you have ruled out an underlying problem such as Giardia, Salmonella, Campylobacter, E-Coli

Did you provide a stool and ask for the vet to have it tested for the above? Also have you asked for your dog to be tested for EPI?


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## Mum2Heidi (Feb 17, 2010)

I would stick with the Applaws. If there's been an improvement it's worth it. More chance it was the cat little or something else if you haven't been around all the time. It's a better food than the alternatives you are looking at. (Only if it suits your dog of course, and there are signs it does).

After an upset their tums can be v sensitive and the slightest thing upset them that normally wouldn't. You could run into just as much trouble changing food.
I know it's hard and you want him well but It takes time and is often two steps forward and one back.


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## Little P (Jun 10, 2014)

If he were mine I'd pop him on Royal Canin gastro intestinal junior food for a few weeks and feed it exclusively making sure there's no access to anything else (like cat poo delicacies). Ok some may say it's not the best food but in my experience it often firms up faeces nicely which will confirm (or maybe not) that it's a dietry issue. If that doesn't work then I'd be looking at a basic blood screen to check liver enzymes initially with the possibility of a shunt in the back of my mind with faecal analysis afterwards


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## Lurcherlad (Jan 5, 2013)

I'd be inclined to put this last event down to eating the cat litter (and probably cat poo :Wtf) and see if he settles after a couple of days of not consuming anything but his proper food tbh.

If his tum still doesn't settle, then I would be asking the vet to check for bugs/digestive problems.


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## hollyhollytree (Mar 5, 2014)

Update! We've stuck with Applaws for two more months as I know it's a good food and I was trying to link my puppy's digestive problems to other things!
However, the intermittent diarrhoea is still a problem. As is the bad gas.
He was really poorly the other day with gastroenteritis and ended up at the vets overnights as he wouldn't stop vomiting and having diarrhoea. They did tests and they couldn't find anything wrong with him, no digestive bugs etc.

He's lively and growing, but one minute he'll have a good solid poo, the next it's completely runny.

I've finally made the decision to change his food but I feel like I'm back to square one! I've been reading really good things about Orijen. It's expensive but no more than Applaws and we can afford it. However, my worry with this food is that it seems to have the same properties as Applaws (high meat, high protein, grain free, little carbs) and I have read quite a few reviews about it causing diarrhoea. My worry is that we go for the food that seems the best and have exactly the same problem.

I've also had a look at Arden Grange and James Wellbeloved as I've heard a lot of good things about them, the reviews are excellent and people seem to say that their dogs' tummies have been better on them. But I just can't ignore the fact that they aren't as good quality! 

Any advice?


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## Nettles (Mar 24, 2011)

hollyhollytree said:


> Update! We've stuck with Applaws for two more months as I know it's a good food and I was trying to link my puppy's digestive problems to other things!
> However, the intermittent diarrhoea is still a problem. As is the bad gas.
> He was really poorly the other day with gastroenteritis and ended up at the vets overnights as he wouldn't stop vomiting and having diarrhoea. They did tests and they couldn't find anything wrong with him, no digestive bugs etc.
> 
> ...


IMO, the best food is the one that agrees with your dog.
My girl gets fed Wainwrights because that's what she does really well on. It might not be the "best" food on the market, but I'd rather she was healthy on a lower quality brand, than sickly on a higher quality one.


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## El Cid (Apr 19, 2014)

hollyhollytree said:


> I don't know whether to change his food again. I don't want to keep messing around with his diet but I don't want him to be poorly. Any advice?


If it was a person, perhaps a solution would be to try some *Yakult* for some friendly bacteria.

Just a thought


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## SusieRainbow (Jan 21, 2013)

Wouldn't a probiotic have the same effect ? My old girl does well on Bionic Biotic , great stuff.


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## wee man (Apr 8, 2012)

I am a raw feeder, although I have and will use kibbles for treats or holiday purposes.
I have used Applaws in the past with no problems, however very much less than the recommended daily amount is needed.
Acana is absolutely fantastic, with plenty of fruit and veg (some say these are not needed in dog food but neither is grain). I have not found this too rich!
Orijen is a very good quality choice, again feed far less than recommended.
Millies Wolfheart is a lovely product (British made) and good ingredients too. Online prices include delivery.

As a raw feeder myself I would like to *suggest* that maybe a raw chicken wing each day this will provide so much extra goodness and help the digestive system. The introduction of some raw bones will help the digestive system, and help maintain a healthy mouth (teeth and gums) they will also keeps our dogs poo's firm.

Please remember that "Rice" is also a grain!!


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## pennyLokiMUM (Nov 19, 2016)

its about finding a food that works, I know dogs that thrive well on chappie, if you tried for 2 months its the food, there is nothing wrong with JWB grain free mine are on turkey and rice, my other on Burns, there is lots of good brands, I would avoid ingredients in the current food and go with a novel protein like Duck or Fish


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## Pudsey'sMum (Feb 9, 2017)

Ensure your pup is free of worms. Worms can lead to ridiculous smelling farts. Once the worms are gone get some good food in your pups tummy. Good food = better digestion = less farts. It is absolutely normal to fart however, but not all of the time and stinking the house out. 

My pup had worms, I wormed him and he's now on lilys kitchen puppy food (HIGHLY recommend) and now rarely farts.


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## Cari24 (Jul 31, 2019)

We are having the same issue with our pup Toby. He was on raw Natural Instinct puppy food (chicken) but being a spaniel with long ears he kept getting raw chicken bits on his ears like caked in it, despite a spaniel bowl, and we didn't have enough freezer space, so we switched to Pooch and Mutt. We have gone from almost rock solid tiny poo, 4 times a day, to massive amoutns of squishy poo 5 or 6 times a day and the farts are awful!

We have switched gradually over 1 week, 10% per day, he has just done 2 days completely on Pooch and Mutt and still no improvement. How long do you carry on adjusting to the new food before giving up and going back to the old one or trying another one? He seems happy and lively, his fur is perhaps slightly duller and his eyes are a bit more watery but I hoped we could get him on to an easy to use dry food and Pooch and Mutt appeared to have good ingredients. 

Thoughts anyone?


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## Rafa (Jun 18, 2012)

If he has wind, the food is not agreeing with him.

If he was doing well on his original food, then loosely fasten his ears back before he eats and put him back on it.


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## niamh123 (Nov 4, 2018)

Have to agree with Rafa on this,a couple of months ago I tried to change my pup over from raw to kibble he did eat it but his poo's were never firm and the gas he produced was disgusting I stuck at it for 6 weeks but he dropped weight had a dull coat and his eyes were quite gloopy 5 days after changing to kibble .Liam has been back on raw for about 5 weeks now the gas has gone his eyes are now clear and his coat is starting to improve


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## DanWalkersmum (Mar 21, 2019)

Just a small thing th


El Cid said:


> If it was a person, perhaps a solution would be to try some *Yakult* for some friendly bacteria.
> 
> Just a thought


 My pup had the runny poo problem and a tablespoon of cottage cheese a day helped to firm things up.


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## niamh123 (Nov 4, 2018)

Mine have Yakult twice a week


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## Guest (Aug 2, 2019)

Cottage cheese or a little but of mashed pumpkin help my pup with digestive upsets.


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