Hi I wonder if anyone can lend some advice. We have a lab puppy who is 5 months and very happy and playful. We have had problems with his poo since we got him at 11 weeks old. At first it was not very solid and had some blood and he appeared to be straining. I immediately took him to the vets who drained his anal glands. The blood and discomfort has now gone but his poo is getting runnier (I have never had a pup before and I am still learning, we are not sure if his poo should be solid yet)

We are feeding him dried food only, three small meals a day (and he still seems hungry) he is not over weight and is growing well, he has been wormed too... Any advice?? as it is relly hard to clear his mess up at the park!!

Oh and by the way is there anyway that I can stop him chewing big chunks out of the wall!!!!!

Hi, sorry to hear you're having this problem - your puppy's doings should certainly be solid and not runny. It doesn't sound as though he's over-eating (which could cause the runs) - is he just having the three small meals, no table scraps etc in between? Which dried food are you using?
I would try changing to another food - in fact I did do this when we got our puppy nearly a year ago. The breeder said feed him on Beta Puppy, and gave me a big bag to take home - only pup seemed to be constantly doing his business and it was horribly runny - just going straight through him. Changed to Oscars and have had no problems since. The other thing we did at the time of changing over was give him natural bio-yoghurt each day, which replaces the good bacteria in the gut, so try some of that as well (about two large spoonfuls with his meal).
If none of that works, I would probably go and see my vet, in case there's some other problem, but I would try the change of diet and yoghurt first, especially as you say he's happy and playful.
As to the chewing chunks out the wall, does he do this when you go out and leave him? One of ours used to start on the cupboard doors and skirting boards, so before I went out (he would be left in the kitchen), I used to give everything a quick spray with a cleaning spray, and just leave it on instead of wiping it off. I would also leave him some chew toys, ones that he wouldn't have normally, and I found the buster cube really good to keep him occupied.
Hilda

Thankyou very much for your help, we are also feeding him Beta puppy! This is what the breeder recommended! We don't feed him anything else except a few treats when he has been good! I will definately try changing his food (shame we just brought another huge bag!) and try the yogurt - I am glad that other people have had similar problems I was worried...

The wall thing is only when left alone for a while, he does have LOADS of toys and bones to chew and I tried spraying the area that he chewed and he just moved to another place!! very amusing... I will trying sparying all lower parts of the wall that are exposed in the kitchen and buy some polyfiller! Have got some puzzle things for him but the are really simple...where will i find the buster cube?
Thanks again

Gemma

Hi Summer,

Some folks say that wall chewing is a sign of a mineral deficiancy. I don't know if there's any scientific proof for that but Murphy used to do it. he's raw/bone fed now and doesn't chew the wall anymore.
Would you consider a marrow bone for your dog....it make save you walls!:D

TTFN

Ruth

Yes i have just brought him a large bone for him and he does not seem that interested...He has not however chewed the wall since we got it a few days ago..so only time will tell. I will try a marrow bone after if that doesn't work

Thanks for your help

Hi,

Maybe he is allergic!! Wheat is a common allergy problem and of course Beta Puppy contains wheat. Have you tried Nutro or James Wellbeloves as dry foods, or Naturediet if you fancy trying a wet food (not yourself obviously, although it smells good enough to eat) :D

manda
X

Hi Gemma,
There are probably a few places that sell the Buster Cube, but I got mine from Championpets.freeserve.co.uk Ph: 024 76354304 - price is £14.95, which sounds quite a lot, but I've found it quite indestructable! There's like a maze inside it, which you can put on two different settings, one so that the food comes out without too much difficulty, the other setting to make it harder when the dog has got the hang of it!
Let us know how you get on with the change of diet!
Hilda

Hi
We have a lab puppy now 7 months old. Did have problems with poo he was on beta puppy but I did not change it just gave him a small bottle of probiotic drink in a morning (i buy tesco's own) a slice of wholemeal toast. Once he had got all his adult teeth the sloppy poo stopped. He is now on Beta Junior dried food changed him at 6 months old no problem. Both my kids cut their teeth with diaorrhea so I just linked sloppy poo with teething. Mine touchwood has never chewed walls or any furniture I just make sure that when I am out he has chew things and of course his filled kong. Try a marrow bone mine loves them.

Regards
Carole

Hi
I have a yr old Westie who also had this problem. Have only recently got on top of it by giving him some mashed potato or small Jacket potato every day. He was reared on Nutro but could'nt tolerate adult version. Anal glands were emptied 3 times in total.
Vet suggested food lower in fat content. He's now on Pal adult which he loves.
Cut out the treats as this also contributed to Buddy's problem.
Best of luck.
Budmag