we need a "poop" forum!

[Kermit]

I think we talk about our dogs' stools enough here that it deserves its very own forum. The poop forum. Who's with me!?!

Hehe anyhow, let's talk about poop and dog food for real. Connor has this poop issue. Diarrhea. So we put him on the ol' Prescription Diet I/D made by Hill's. He's also on sulfasalazine. He was good for a while... but... the diarrhea is back again anyways, just not as bad as before.

So then I notice his hair is thinning. Which leads me to read the ingredients of the most expensive bag of dog food I have ever purchased, 'cause now I'm thinking about food allergies.

Get this... Hill's Prescription Diet I/D ingredients in order: Corn Meal, Brewer's Rice, Dried Egg Product, Chicken By-Product Meal, Corn Gluten Meal, Pork Fat, Soy Fiber, Chicken Liver Flavor, Vegetable Oil, Taurine, Ethoxyquin...

Excuse me??? Did I just buy a bag of Ol'Roy??? No, I bought a sixty-dollar bag of food that is supposed to prevent diarrhea!!! Yet contains every allergen known to man!!! AAAAHHHHH!!!!! How on earth is Connor supposed to NOT have diarrhea eating this food??

I am so confused. Do I scrap what my vet told me and get Connor the heck off this food? I just don't see how it could possibly be helping him. And he is still a growing boy, I can't bear the thought of him trying to grow up healthy while eating this. But last time I tried to wean him off, he had explosive diarrhea- the worst I've ever seen.
I am currently giving him oatmeal mixed with the I/D. I have some Slippery Elm on hand... couldn't find a can of plain pumpkin anywhere within 20 miles of me.

Advice?

[MafiaPrincess]

I'd toss it and try good old beef and rice or chicken and rice and see what happens. 
I hadn't read what was in the Hills I/D before, but excuse me while I puke.  I'm really baffled on how that's supposed to be helful.  YIKES.

[Kermit]

Thanks for all the info Tina.

We have a feed store down the street from us that has amazing prices on Innova foods... sounds like that would be a good one to try for Connor. I had tried to switch him to DVP Natural Balance Venison, and it did not work out for whatever reason. He is one of the most sensitive dogs I have ever met.
The more I read about Innova the more it seems that is the ultimate kibble.

Uh-oh...  I better get outside with that boy and follow him around until he poops!!!

[Lyn]

My vet tried to get me to buy Hills I/D food for Bubba since he had chronic diarrhea. Luckily Bubba can't have any food with corn or wheat in it or he chews like crazy so my vet recommended a fish based food. Fish is suppose to be easier to digest. My vet was right.. Bubba still has days where his poop is soft, but nowhere near as bad as before. His itching has also stopped since switching him to Eagle Pack, Fish & Oatmeal

I just kept rotating through different foods until I found one that worked. The only part that sucked was that I had to give a bag or or 2 before I switched again to see if he would eventually adjust to it before moving on to something else.

[Boyle]

We had the same problem with Nola.  We went through 7 different formulas in about 9 months and never had truly solid poop.  Now, Nola is raw feed and has the great poop (sounds like I am bragging - neener neener neener, my dog's poops is awesome).  Let's rephrase that, Nola's poop once fully switched to raw has been solid, compact and I can pick it up with one hand.  I know raw isn't for everyone and every dog but it has saved my sanity.  The cost is a bit cheaper than high quality kibble - less than $1 per pound.  It takes a lot of research and hunting for sales but I think it is worth it.  Plus, I haven't had to clean up really gross poop since his switch in January. 

[Bella's mom]

So then I notice his hair is thinning. Which leads me to read the ingredients of the most expensive bag of dog food I have ever purchased, 'cause now I'm thinking about food allergies.

Get this... Hill's Prescription Diet I/D ingredients in order: Corn Meal, Brewer's Rice, Dried Egg Product, Chicken By-Product Meal, Corn Gluten Meal, Pork Fat, Soy Fiber, Chicken Liver Flavor, Vegetable Oil, Taurine, Ethoxyquin...

Excuse me??? Did I just buy a bag of Ol'Roy??? No, I bought a sixty-dollar bag of food that is supposed to prevent diarrhea!!! Yet contains every allergen known to man!!! AAAAHHHHH!!!!! How on earth is Connor supposed to NOT have diarrhea eating this food??

Yep, I've heard of the hair thinning also while on Science Diet.  It just sounds like it is definitely not a very good food.
Sorry, but I also have a question.  Bella is on Solid Gold Wolf King now and has been on it for about a month.  Some stools are semi-firm, but some are really soft (not completely diarrhea).  How much longer should I give her to adjust?

[Lyn]

Bella's mom, We had the same problem with Bubba on the WolfKing. When I inquired to Solid Gold about it they suggested cutting back on how much I was feeding. Meanwhile I was already feeding less than the bag recommended. After searching various forums I discovered that 'most' dogs eating the wolfking had the same loose stool problem. So I switched.. But Bubba was eating it for about 5 months with no improvement, and I just got tired of the pancake poops. Yuck! I'm honestly wondering how easy bison is to digest...

It very well could work out for Bella. Since her stool is semi-firm she very well could just need more time to adjust.

[Saint and Mal mom]

I haven't tried most of these foods with my 2 dogs, but I will agree that we do indeed need a poop forum!

[Kiahpyr]

Poor Connor! I know how the food thing goes. I finally found a food that Kiah won't puke back up. Looks like you already tried it tho. Hope he gets well soon!