Why does my dog have constant loose stools?

Question

I have a 10 month old boxer, ever since we got him at 9 weeks he has always had very loose stools and we dont know why. He has had all his shots and deworming stuff. I have taken him to 4 different vets and know one seems to know why. They have done every test I can think of from stool samples to blood. He does have blood in his stools and sometimes when he is pooping it takes him a long time to get it out. If anyone has ever had this problem and know what it is please let me know. I have also tried taking away everything but his food and still doesnt solve the problem. He eats Science Diet Sensative Stomach food. He doesnt act sick and is still very playful. Please Help!!

he has had a stool scraping and tested negative for coccidia and giardia

Answer 1

I'd get a new vet. Preferably someplace like a veterinary college. Off-hand Michigan State University, Ohio State or Cornell. Have them test.

Science Diet is full of soy and corn. Get your dog on better food.

Answer 2

Constant Loose Stool

Answer 3

I have a 6 month old Boxer who was having the same problem!
He had all of his vaccinations and De-worming medications, but his stool was still very loose although there was no blood, but there was no medical problem.
The vet explained that the physical shape of a boxers body played a large part in it. Because they get smaller towards the back of their body, where all their intestines are located, they often have simple digestive problems that can cause diarrhea and gas. She recommended that we try some new foods and to also put some cooked white rice in with their meals. The rice helped to make the stool firm (I'm guessing because of the starch in it).
We also found that the best food for our boxer pup was Iams Smart Puppy large breed dog food, in a big yellow bag. It has all the nutrients, proteins, and fats that our puppy needs, it is easier on his digestive system than dog foods that are 100% natural such as some of the Nutro brand dog foods, and it helped his stool become much more firm and easier to pass. It also eliminated his gas all together, which was a huge help. Natural dog foods are harder for boxers to digest, just as some people have trouble digesting certain vegtables. We had tried that same Science Diet food, but we found that it just made his stool looser. Then as soon as we started using the Iams food the stool became much firmer.
By changing the type of food we give to our puppy and adding some rice when his stool was particularly loose, it helped greatly. We did that plan for about a month, and now his digestive system is completely happy! And so is our puppy!

Answer 4

A better quality food would likely go a long way in helping him get firm stools.
Science Diet is a low quality food as are all store brands..they all contain way too much cheap fillers & by products...get this puppy on a good quality food that doesn't contain corn, wheat, soy, beet pulp or by products. Some good choices; Canidae, Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover's Soul, Wellness, Fromm, Merrick, Innova, Solid Gold just to name a few.

Also give him plain yogurt with live active cultures and some plain canned pumpkin.


****Ruffian, vets do NOT get paid nor do they get the food free for selling or recommending Science Diet...would be nice if it were true, but it is NOT..Vets MUST PAY wholesale prices to Hill's and buy the food just like any other pet business (actually in most cases the wholesale prices we are charged is more then that charged to pet stores because we don't sell in as big a volumne) We then need to sell at retail (the retail is dictated to us by the company as well).The only "perk" received is a couple times a year each staff person that wants one gets a $10 off coupon for the biggest bag Hill's sells of the kind of food they want..BIG DEAL!!!! or for every 2000 or so bags sold the hospital gets 1 (I repeat ONE) bag free..again BIG DEAL****

Answer 5

Have you tried a different food? Science Diet is about 1 step above Ol' Roy..... Read the labels if you don't believe me. Try a better food. You can also try putting some yogurt in your dog's food. Yogurt has live cultures- good bacteria that is beneficial to your animals gastrointestinal system. I personally like the Stoney Field yogurts- they have the most active live cultures. You can also try feeding some pumpkin- needs to be 100% pumpkin- not pie filling! To add some fiber to your animals diet. Everytime my animals have a problem with their stools- this firms them up everytime.

A note on your vet. Your vet will say that Science Diet is a good food....BUT- they get paid to say this- the food is practiacally free to vets who say this to their clients....and usually who can turn down free...Also what a vet learns in school about animal nutrition is not that in depth unless they master in it. All they learn is what the reps of the animal food companies come to teach them.

Answer 6

you might want to change the food to a natural food. my dog used to have very loose stools also. he has a very sensitive stomach (maybe not as yours though where theyre blood in the stool). we use nutro natural choice. they also have a line where the food is holistic..we dont use it cause they dont have the low calorie in the holistic line nutro has.
it also might be an allergic reaction to the food hes eating right now. but it doesnt HAVE to be nutro. theres many holistic and natural food. i personally dont think that science diet is too well.

also, make sure that you GRADUALLY change the diet. dont change it all the sudden. you should first feed the kibble as a treat and then make it a slow change. put in a bit by bit for breakfast and dinner..
other than that, i'm not sure what to do.

Answer 7

yep i had this problem it's coccidia i had 3 dogs die from it before i figured out what it was with coccidia he could test positive one day and be negative the next but the coccidia will still be there even if the test was positive and it is very contagius and very fatal in pups up to 6 months old have your vet test for coccidia and have him put on antibotics that contain sulfer in them he'll need these meds 2 times a day for 2 weeks

heres a link on coccidia

http://www.beaglesunlimited.com/beaglehealth_coccidiosis.htm


http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=2&cat=1622&articleid=727

coccidia can live in the ground ,carpet , and house as well you'll have to clean everywhere your dog has been with 2 parts clorox 8 parts water including food and water pans

Answer 8

the symptoms you are describing could be coccidia or giardia, they would have to take a swab and immediately look at it under the microscope. a old poop in the yard will not work....The food you are feeding is not my favorite, you can try eaglepack for large breed puppies, www.eaglepack.com