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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

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Original poster

Too much poo!

19 replies

Oops4 · 03/09/2017 23:26

We have a 1 yr old terrier who has always had a bit of an iffy stomach. Nothing too drastic but can be very smelly (like clear the room bad) and poos are very inconsistent. He doesn't get given any of our food, tit bits etc, just his food and training treats, but admittedly is a complete scavenger for whatever he can get his teeth into when we are out or the occasional time he's got to the bin. I'm fairly sure it is mostly down to scavenging but I have noticed a link if he ever gets something containing wheat.

He's been on burns dry food until recently but he really went off it and I wasn't 100% happy with him on it. A few weeks ago his gastric symptoms seemed to flare up again and his stomach was gurgling so badly you could hear it across the room so I decided to trial him in a grain free food. He is now solely on wainwrights grain free for his food and his training treats and so far seems to be better on it and enjoying it.

His poos seem much more consistent and quite solid (sorry TMI) and the gurgling has stopped but there's so much! He went four times yday and he's producing much more than he used to. So I'm torn if it's actually any better? He seems much hungrier and is asking for more even when he has had his full recommended amount. He may just like it more and is being greedy but I'm also wondering if by removing the grains, the bulk that kept him full has gone. I'm very keen to avoid him putting in excessive weight but also don't want him to be hungry.

Vet says to stick with new food for atleast 2 months to see how he settles.

Any advice/experience/thoughts appreciated!

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ButFirstTea · 04/09/2017 00:07

I'm not a nutritional expert by any means but I've read on several raw feeding forums that more poop = more waste product, ie less of the food is actually being absorbed as nutrients and keeping your dog full. Maybe he's hungry because the food is literally just going straight through him?

Original poster

Oops4 · 04/09/2017 00:48

Thanks. That's why I'm a bit torn. He's producing more waste which I wouldn't think is a good sign but his stomach seems much more settled which would suggest he's tolerating it better. I'll persevere with it for a bit I think and see if it settles down.

OP posts:

CornflakeHomunculus · 04/09/2017 01:06

I think as the volume seems to be the only issue it is a good idea to hang fire a bit and see if it settles down. If it doesn't one option is to try a food with a higher meat content and see if that reduces his output at all. If he's currently fed dry it might also be worth trying a high meat content wet food as the moisture content means he'll actually get more volume of food for the same nutritional content.

DDog2 sounds a bit similar and we've had to tweak at her diet a lot over the years. We've been feeding all our dogs on Millies Wolfheart for about four years now and DDog2 has been doing brilliantly on one of their highest meat content mixes, the Hunter Mix, plus a small amount of various high meat content wet foods.

BeepBeepMOVE · 04/09/2017 01:24

My terrier used to be on Grain free Wainwrights. It worked well but yes he pooped A LOT. Like 3 times a walk easily. We switched onto frozen raw food and he now does a couple of very small neat ones a day.

tabulahrasa · 04/09/2017 01:38

My dog is on wainwrights grain free, he poos twice a day, which makes sense as he's fed twice a day, lol.

I do feed him about half the recommended amount though or he puts on weight... have you tried just feeding him a bit less?

Original poster

Oops4 · 04/09/2017 07:47

Thanks all. I'll persevere with it a bit and will add in some wet grain free to try and bulk it a bit. I would try feeding him less but he honestly seems really hungry. On his last food he was very reluctant and now he's bringing me his bowl. After saying his symptoms were all settling his tummy was back to gurgling last night so I just hope there isn't anything else going on

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Bubble2bubble · 04/09/2017 11:04

You could try him on a probiotic. If he's reacted to something in his food it could help settle his gut down again.
Don't give a human probiotic as the bacteria in a dog's gut are not necessarily the same. Vets will sell you one, or I have used this one in the past with good results.

WeAllHaveWings · 04/09/2017 13:10

We tried Wainwrights grain free when we forgot to order our normal food and the output was immense (and smelly) in comparison.

Are you feeding the correct amount? normally with grain free foods you feed much less.

Original poster

Oops4 · 04/09/2017 13:28

Thanks. I should have mentioned he is already on a probiotic from the vet.

Wings, what is your usual food out of interest? I have weighed the recommended amount and he gets that divided between two meals but yes, it doesn't seem like much food.

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WeAllHaveWings · 04/09/2017 20:03

Our neutered male Labrador is on Millie's wolfheart the recommended feeding level is 295-400g a day. We were feeding him 260g a day and a healthy treat and his output is small and firm, but he could do with losing a bit of weight so have just cut to 240g. P

Manufacturers recommended guidelines can be a bit high. If he has been fed more volume it might take a while for him to get used to a less full feeling.

misshannah · 05/09/2017 14:09

My two dogs eat wainwrights (Jack Russell and a dachshund) My Sausage had a poorly stomach when we got him from Dogs Trust so has to stay on Wainwrights, he is absolutely fine on it and loves it he does 3/4 poops a day. He is a standard sausage so they're not small... My JR on the other hand had only ever had wet food and didn't take well to the swap when we got Burt (as in she didn't like the dry food no funny tummies), she has alot of wind on wainwrights and does 4-5poops a day but they are the most pointless poops i've ever seen. Literally a nugget and a waste of a bag. Each dog is different. My JR doesn't mind wainwrights now and it means less funny tummies but she is windier... Vets say shes ok so must be doing something ok.

PatMustardsMoustache · 05/09/2017 14:37

😂 @ pointless poops

WeAllHaveWings · 05/09/2017 16:47

3-5 poops a day! That's a lot of picking up, we only get one small poop a day from a 34kg Labrador (sometimes 2 if he's had a treat like the leftovers picked from a roast chicken).

Original poster

Oops4 · 05/09/2017 23:28

Thanks all. Think I'll give it until near the end of the bag then decide whether to stick to it or change. I'm reluctant to change him again as that can't help, but the amount he is pooing is just not right. I've now started adding a little wet food in and reduced the overall amount. Pushed his evening one back a bit which seems to have helped with the overnight rumblings. He still appears to be starving and is constantly asking for more which is the opposite to when he was on burns, could hardly persuade him to eat it!

If it doesn't settle I'll have to look at other options it's all just getting more confusing!

OP posts:

Fabellini · 05/09/2017 23:34

Ddog1 has a number of allergies, and has had several bouts of colitis over the years.
We've finally found a food mix that suits him - Royal Canin hypoallergenic wet food and Vets Kitchen sensitive dry food.
He has dry in the morning and wet in the evening, and is a much happier pooch all round. His stomach has settled down, his skin is fine, and his poo is no longer something resembling tomato soup being ejected at force!
It took a couple of years, lots of vets visits, and a great deal of trial and error to get here though.

mydogisthebest · 06/09/2017 09:27

Have you thought about feeding raw? It's meant to be much better for dogs and they definitely do far less poos. Also the poos are small and firm.

There are a few groups on facebook where you can get information and find out about stockists in your area.

If you don't want to have to work out what meats and how much the dog should be having you can buy packs of minced meat which makes it very easy.

Original poster

Oops4 · 15/09/2017 00:07

I'm sure you're all fascinated by my dogs poo issues but thought I'd update incase anyone's having similar issues!

So I was going to persevere with the wainwrights grain free for a couple more weeks but the amount of poo was ridiculous and he just looked kinda droopy. He had also started to smell very strongly of urine and was scratching a lot which was initially put down to a possible UTI and fleas. After some (more) googling turns out this can be caused by foods enriched with omega oils and that sweet potato can be caused by sweet potato so ditched the wainwrights. Decided not to overthink/over google it and swapped him into burgess sensitive after a recommendation and so far amount of poo has dramatically reduced (back to 1 or 2 a day), he's back to his spritely wee self and there's no more smell of urine or scratching!

Hopefully we've found his food!

OP posts:

Fabellini · 16/09/2017 10:46

That's great news Oops4

WeAllHaveWings · 16/09/2017 14:34

You realise your life has reached new depths when you get excited about your dogs poo!

We were amazed how different it could be when we found the right food for our dog. A frequent soft mess requiring 2 poop bags and sometimes kitchen roll to pick up turned into 1-2 poos a day which were small and firm and almost a pleasure to pick up in comparison. But the novelty does wear off again after a few months.

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