[tammi]

Hello everyone!  My name is Tammi and I have a beautiful Boxer and his name is Luka.  I love that dang dog!!  My issue is (like many Boxer owners) loose stools.  I have read some of the other parents issues concerning loose stools.  But what I want is something that I can do long term.  We have been to the Vet and we have had tests done, and he is completely fine.  He has had loose stools since he was 8 weeks.  I have tried this food and that food.  When we initally went to the Vet for his Well baby visit (what I call it, LOL) I was told that Eukanuba was high in fat.  I was told that even though he is a puppy, I needed to reduce the fat... I love this soul with all my heart and I want formed stools.  I may sound sick, but if I could see a consitant formed stool I would be totally grateful.  Can anyone help!    

Luka is currently on Pedigree.  I mix dry with canned.  I too have had the Prescription food, but of course that is very expensive.  If anyone can help, Please do!

Luka and I thank you in advance.

Tammi

 

[nano]

This is what you need to get. My holistic vet is the one that turned me on to this a couple of years ago.

 

[samsonsmom]

Just like humans, dogs react differently to various foods. What may be fine for one, doesn't necessarily agree with another. My dogs all have done well on whatever I have put them on, but my preference is a Lamb & Rice base as it is a little easier on their tummy. There are some very good foods out there, but some are quite high, so I would say feed Luka the best food you can without having to break your pocketbook. Blue Buffalo is excellent, but it's only sold at Petsmart & it's high. Canidae is also excellent, but I have to order it online as there is no local distributor. Right now I am feeding Samson Nutro Blue label, for the extra glucosamine, but we will be switching soon.

I have never had to use the pumpkin, but a lot of people I know will tell you the same thing, it works very well... Keep us posted on Luka's progress and give that boy a big hug for me.....

 

[Zhanna]

We're using Purina Pro Plan Large Breed puppy food.  We've had large breed puppies in the past and they did very well on it.  It is chicken based and has all the glucosimine and other minerals that big puppies need.  I usually get it at PetCo or PetsMart, but they also sell it at Tractor Supply Co.  We mix the canned with the kibble.  It takes about a week or two to fully kick in, then you should see some results.
Good luck,
Zhanna & Little Henry

 

[instructor74]

I have also had good luck with the Purina pro plan large breed puppy food. However when I started adding a little moist canned food to the dry he endded up with loose stool. I tried it for a week or so to no avail. I had to switch back to just the dry food and everything has worked out well.

 

[HannaBanana]

We had loose stools for a couple of months after we got Hanna.  First I think the stress and the adjustment of a new home had a lot to do with it.   Also we had switched her food from what the breeder used.    

I have had good luck with "Fast GI" as mentioned above, however we only use this as a band-aid to the problem, and if it did not go away, we would try another food.   Cali Natural was horrible with the runs.  But everydog's tummy's are different.   So I think I would try switching the food, maybe something in the ingredients may be upsetting her.   The runs are a way of the dog trying to "clean" itself out from a toxin or something that does not agree with them.

I am not a big fan of the dog foods sold in commercial stores with the exception to Nutro Ultra or Blue Buffalo, but a lot of the "Holisic" food are a lot better for the dog.   Many people think "holistic" means more $$$$ but in fact its so not true.

We got a 6lb bag of Blue at Petco - 12.99 for that and for Royal Canin.   Its great food, but then we found Canidae that for the same size, better ingrdients and less fillers it was 7.99.  So I will take the 5 bucks!!!    If purina works for you then I am glad, but I am not a big fan on their ingredients.   I think there are a lot more higher quality foods out there for the same $$$ that will give you better health, and coat, but again, its not my pocketbook or dog

So good luck with trying to stop the runs

 

[Babs4Boxers]

I am of course no expert but I have dealt with a pet boxer who developed colitis.  She had ulsers in her digestinal track.  We had to put her on a special diet because she was so sensive to foods.  I am definately not saying that is what your pup has, just trying to share my experience with foods.

We used a tuna/pumpkin/bran/medemusel mixture.  The Medemusel (sp) was one of the factors that kept her stools firm.  So if you can't seem to firm up the stools for now, you can try some fiber to help this.  At least until you can find what  is his issue.  

Good luck and I totally understand the frustration with loose stool.

 

[Highdrama]

Pedigree is basically crap in a bag.  Henri came to us from his breeder on it.  He's on Burns holistic human grade food now and his poo is fab!  We also mix a tablespoon of natural probio yoghurt into each meal and if he has a runny bum for whatever reason (he has a sensitive tum), he gets some scrambled egg to bind everything together.  Definitely recommend changing foods cos pedigree is not nutritious at all.

 

[Serendipity]

Just a note...keep in mind that Boxers are not a Large Breed, they are in fact Medium sized, and do not need to be fed Large Breed formulas. Some Large Breed Formulas can actually cause your boxer to grow too fast. They will do best on a regular Puppy or Adult Formula.

Canidae and Blue Buffalo are excellent brands. If you can find Canidae, it is a very reasonably priced food. Innova, Innova EVO (which is grainless), Solid Gold (which is what I am feeding), Merricks, Wellness....are all excellent, human grade food.

Try using a different, good quality food and you need to give it time, approx 2-3 months to see the change. In the mean time, adding a tablespoon of canned pumpkin (pure pumpkin NOT pie filling) to his food when he's particually runny will help to firm it up.

 

[Matt-n-Ghost]

Anyone feeding kibble should check out this site. It will clear up alot of questions. http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/

 

[samsonsmom]

Thanks for posting that link Matt, I had lost mine & it is a great source of information for all of us....

 

[Brooklyn]

Just a note...keep in mind that Boxers are not a Large Breed, they are in fact Medium sized, and do not need to be fed Large Breed formulas. Some Large Breed Formulas can actually cause your boxer to grow too fast. They will do best on a regular Puppy or Adult Formula.

Canidae and Blue Buffalo are excellent brands. If you can find Canidae, it is a very reasonably priced food. Innova, Innova EVO (which is grainless), Solid Gold (which is what I am feeding), Merricks, Wellness....are all excellent, human grade food.

Try using a different, good quality food and you need to give it time, approx 2-3 months to see the change. In the mean time, adding a tablespoon of canned pumpkin (pure pumpkin NOT pie filling) to his food when he's particually runny will help to firm it up.

Back from the dead. :lol: I'm feeding my puppy Wellness puppy food for "large breeds". Do you think I should swith to regular Wellness puppy food?

 

[Guest]

I have to say we do a mix on ours. We feed Purina Pro Plan puppy mixed with Canidae lamb and rice (Roxy was too lean without the puppy food) but I noticed when they were both on Canidae we had less gas and less shedding. I'm all for a good smelling house and clean work clothes :ROTFLMAO:

 

[nano]

Mateo had a lot of loose stools the first few months after I got him at 8 weeks. I used the Fast Balance GI (made by Vermont Science and available on line) for him when it occured at half the recommended dose. He was on a high quality food, but some puppies just have some problems slowing it down at first. I don't know how old your dog is. Mateo does have more problems when he has a higher fat content diet (he is 4 now) so we are on a raw diet with low fat and he does great. Also adding the pumpkin to the food is a good natural thing to try.

Nano