[Kimba]

My Labradoodle that is is 4.5 months old has never had a hard stool, it has always been runny and I figured it was because she was a puppy, then the transistion to a new home, etc. The past 2 weeks it has been diarrhea. I have done the chicken and rice for two days, tried pumpkin (she wont eat it). I have into my vet to see what more I can do, but in the mean time I did some research on line and this seems to be common for labradoodles. I see lots of posts as to what to try to get their tummy back to normal such as different meds the vet has given, the blan diet, pepto bismal, etc. but no one ever states what the trick was that made it work. She has been eating Blue Buffalo since birth, has not gotten into anything she shouldnt, up to date on shots and her vet said all tests come back "normal" and my other dog (not a labradoodle) is fine. Any suggestions or does anyone else have this issue with their doodle? Thank you for any suggestions and your time.
Leila is a sweet happy go lucky girl.

 

[Marnie]

Sounds like a food issue to me but I'm not a professional. Remember that not all dogs can eat all foods and while it may not be an issue for one dog it could be a huge issue for the next. I would slowly change her diet to another food and see if this solves the problem. Now, be ready for a gazillion food brand suggestions but in the end, the dog will make the final choice as to what works best for her.

 

[Kimba]

Ok, I am seeing the vet again today. She has been on the Blue Buffalo from the breeder and he said it was the best brand to give labradoodles, but you are right, not all brands are same for all dogs. I will do some research and slowly switch her food. I appreciate your time and suggestion. Thank you

 

[Marnie]

Good luck and keep us posted!

 

[Moe]

There may be some ingredient in Blue that is not sitting well with your pup. Sometimes it could be a filler or protein source. Some dogs can't tolerate fish or chicken. You should switch foods gradually until you find one that works. You could try a limited ingredient food for a while. Acana, Petcurean, Wellness, Canidae and Blue have high quality limited ingredient food. Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[histinker]

I can't give any input on kibble brands, as I feed raw. My doodle has firm little torpedoes twice a day, but she was a little 'softer' when I first brought her home.... until the switch which we did add probiotics daily until she was transitioned.

But I can tell you that you might be able to get her to eat the pumpkin if you do this: (both of my dogs LOVE this pumpkin treat).

Line a cookie sheet with tinfoil.
Put the pumpkin (PLAIN, not the pumpkin pie mix) in little blobs on the cookie sheet, sprinkle with a LITTLE bit of garlic powder. Freeze those bad boys and you have a puppy popsicle. Of course, her breath will smell like an italian restaurant for about an hour after she eats it... but

Pumpkin does work for firming stools, from what i've seen.

 

[Dexter]

I am having the same problem with my 4 month old. After several treatments of flagyl and then a return to the problem, we are on yet other round of that for 15 days and and I/d diet. He is fine while on the meds but within 3 days of finishing the meds the problem comes back. This time it came back with a horrendous odor. Sending off another stool sample for a more in depth testing. He is a happy, energentic, loveable guy. I just want him feeling better. Any one having any advice on food would be greatly appreciated. We have given him a good brand chicken and rice puppy formula up to now.

 

[Marnie]

Sounds like the food may be too rich for his system. All dogs are different and some foods work while others don't. We have LOTS of ideas as far as food goes so you've come to the right place. We've (my dogs) had issues in the past with food fillers. My dogs are on a grain-free diet due to corn and other fillers causing not only stool issues but skin allergy issues as well. My two are on Earthborn Coast Catch and no longer have stool OR skin problems. I think all of us feed our dogs different types of food and almost all of us have found what works best. It may be a slow process but I know you'll eventually find what works best for you and your doodle. Good luck and keep us posted!

Coastal Catch : Earthborn Holistic Pet Food

 

[Moe]

I think when you are trying to figure out food issues it is a good idea to try a limited ingredient food. They only have a few things in them, usually nothing that usually causes problem. Acana, Petcurean, Wellness, Canidae and Blue have high quality limited ingredient food.

Also the 1# reason puppies have loose stools is overfeeding. I can't tell you how many people I've met that say their vet said to fee the dog 2 cups a day while not asking what type of food it is. For my dog 38 lbs she gets 1 1/4 cups of Orijen, if I were feeding Purina it would be 4-5 cups. You also have to keep adjusting the food as the puppy matures. All dogs need less food the older they get, if you look at the feeding guidelines on the back of all dog food bags you will see it gets lower as the dog ages. So just because you fed 2 cups at 3mo old doesn't mean they still need 2 cups at 6mo or a year. Good luck.