Forum Post

Puppy stools

Last post 08-16-2007 10:58 AM by huskymom. 9 replies.
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  • 08-14-2007 7:45 PM

    • kryan
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    • Joined on 09-06-2006
    • Toronto, Ontario, Canada
    • Posts 47
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    Puppy stools

    We brought home two Sheltie puppies last Saturday (Aug 11). They had their first check-up with our vet on Monday (Aug 13) and she said they seem to be in very good health. They had been wormed three times (at 3, 5 and 7 weeks old) and had their first vaccination set (distemper, adenovirus, parainfluenza and parvavirus on Aug 7th).

    They have only been exposed to the home of the breeder and her dogs and our fenced backyard (although squirrels, chipmucks, etc. visit anyway), plus two vet visits (ours and the breeder's).

    We are feeding them the same puppy food that the breeder was feeding, but on the vet's suggestion are feeding it more frequently (three meals instead of two, plus a little bit just before bedtime). We actually may be feeding less than they were getting before (they were feeding from a communal bowl), so I'm trying to weigh them frequently.

    So far they seem to be adjusting very well. However, it's been a long time since we've had puppies and I wonder whether certain things are normal. (Should have asked our vet, but I only started worrying today.)

    Stop here if you don't want to read the description of their bodily functions.

    How often should they be pooping? (I've gone through about 40 baggies in four days, so averaging 5/dog/day although the larger puppy seems to poop more frequently.) Also, how loose is too loose? Mostly, it's formed into long strings and isn't possible to pick it all up from the grass. (I've been rinsing the back yard frequently with the garden hose.) However, tonight I noticed that the larger puppy took longer to finish her meal than her smaller brother and even left a couple pieces of kibble. Afterwards the larger puppy's specimen was very loose - but not liquid.

    Should I be concerned? They have obviously had a lot of new and potentially stressful experiences in the last four days.
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  • 08-14-2007 8:01 PM In reply to kryan

    RE: Puppy stools

    I think this sounds fairly normal. However, I would continue to get them wormed every time they go in for vaccines.

    Jaia had loosies for 3 weeks (the grass thing is murder!) If it continues for over a week, I'd have the vet look at a stool sample for Coccidia. I wouldn't worry about how much they're eating and pooping. They've been through an ordeal. If they're eating, drinking, eliminating, playing and sleeping, they're doing what they're supposed to do and are probably fine.

    Sheltie puppies, huh? I'd love to see pictures of them. How old are they?
    LSTM (Laughing Silently to Myself)

    Click Daily to Give Free Food and Care to Animals:
    http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=3
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  • 08-14-2007 8:21 PM In reply to kryan

    • kryan
    • Not Ranked
    • Joined on 09-06-2006
    • Toronto, Ontario, Canada
    • Posts 47
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    RE: Puppy stools

    Thanks!

    Assuming all goes well, they will be going back for their next vaccination on August 28th and we'll bring a sample for testing then.

    They're just 8 weeks old.
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  • 08-15-2007 12:07 AM In reply to kryan

    RE: Puppy stools

    One of the most common reasons for loose stool in a pup is overfeeding. Some puppies WILL NOT self regulate...esp in the presence of other dogs. They will eat more than they need and the result is a lot of poop. So make sure your pup is getting what they need to stay feeling round and firm...but not chubby.
     
    By 8 weeks old most of my pups produce a stool that looks just like an adult dogs, but more often. I can tell when one had overeaten because the stool would loosen [;)]
    Gina H.
    dog.community Moderator


    "Carne Asada, is not a crime."

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  • 08-15-2007 12:25 AM In reply to kryan

    RE: Puppy stools

    kryan:
    They're just 8 weeks old.

    Adding a little plain (not spiced), canned pumpkin to their diet will help to firm up the stools.  What are you feeding?
     
    Did the vet do a stool check yesterday?  If not, I wouldn't wait two weeks for a Coccidia check.  You can just take in a sample from one of them.  Coccidia is very common, it is not a worm, and it would keep them from properly gaining weight.  (I had trouble once giving the med to a little terrier.  She weighed 1.5 lbs and she loved the butterscotch flavor of the med.  It was hard to get that small dosage syringe into that wiggling little mouth.  :D ;)
    http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=2&cat=1622&articleid=727 
     
    What med were the pups wormed with?  Different meds get different sets of worms.
     
    The shots at 7 weeks were probably useless.  I am glad to see that they only got 4 vaccines, but that is still too many for me.  Parvo and Distemper are ones I would be worried about.  I feel that Adenovirus and Parainfluenza can wait until after 20 weeks when multiple shots are not necessary.  Vaccines are not harmless.
     
    Understanding puppy shots:

    http://forum.dog.com/discus/messages/46/121233.html#POST405242 
     
    My suggested way of doing vaccines:
    http://forum.dog.com/asp/m.asp?m=326568
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  • 08-15-2007 8:55 AM In reply to kryan

    • kryan
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    • Joined on 09-06-2006
    • Toronto, Ontario, Canada
    • Posts 47
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    RE: Puppy stools

    Thank you, everyone, for your responses.

    I thought about the pumpkin but we don't have any on hand, so I'll be making a trip to the store today. (I just realised this morning that I haven't left the house/garden since the puppies arrived on Saturday - except for the vet trip.)

    As for the vaccinations, it's something that we discussed with the breeder. She isn't a fan of over-vaccination, but these are the ones that she thought were prudent. The timing of the vaccinations was probably influenced by the breeder not wanting to let them leave without getting their first shots. Our vet also recommended bordetella, which we will discuss with the breeder, as they will be exposed to other dogs when they start puppy kindergarten.

    The wormer was Strongid-T and our vet commented on what that didn't cover - which is the reason we want the fecal test.

    The food they are currently eating (which I won't name because if anything is more controversial than vaccinations, it's dog food [;)]) is a commercial dry puppy food (chicken and rice based) that is commonly used by many reputable breeders of Shelties in our region. Over the long term, I plan to slowly transition them to a home-prepared diet. However, I won't start that until they are at least 9 weeks old.

    So, my plan is:
    * call the vet about dropping off a stool sample earlier than planned, just as a precaution
    * slightly reduce food intake for the larger puppy (she has been getting a little more than her brother because she is close to 4 lb and he is only about 3 lb)
    * add a little bit of pumpkin to their food
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  • 08-15-2007 3:50 PM In reply to kryan

    RE: Puppy stools

    kryan:
    Over the long term, I plan to slowly transition them to a home-prepared diet.

    That's great!  A good book for your library is
     
    Segal, Monica
    , Optimal Nutrition, Raw and Cooked Canine Diets: The Next Level, 2007
    www.monicasegal.com/catalog/product.php?cPath=25&products_id=101

    www.dogwise.com/SearchResults.cfm?Search=Monica%20Segal&SubSearch=author
     
     
    She also has a number of pamphlets and does specialty consultations for clients whose dogs have health issues. 

    kryan:
    I just realised this morning that I haven't left the house/garden since the puppies arrived on Saturday - except for the vet trip. 

    It gets hard to leave them very quickly.  ;)  Use of the world "garden" instead of "yard" implies you are in the UK.  If you click on "Edit Profile", you can put in your location.  That way responses to future threads can be appropriate. 
     
    You sound like an experienced dog owner, but I will add one caution about getting siblings.  Be sure that you spend plenty of one-on-one time with them, so they will bond as tightly to you as they do to each other.  This also helps the dogs to be independent enough that one can be gone for a couple of days (vet time, for instance) without both dogs panicking.
     
    By the way, discussing all things "poop" here is considered quite normal!  Poop consistency, poop color, poop volume, poop frequency, poop location, poop eating, ...  [sm=lol.gif]

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  • 08-15-2007 10:08 PM In reply to kryan

    • huskymom
    • Top 25 Contributor
    • Joined on 09-10-2007
    • Thunder Bay ON
    • Posts 5,598
    • Points 465

    RE: Puppy stools

    Poop odour, poop scooping, pooped out...[:D]

    I second Janet Rose's suggestion about bonding separately with each sibling.  Or any two puppies actually. 
    Candace






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  • 08-16-2007 6:59 AM In reply to kryan

    • kryan
    • Not Ranked
    • Joined on 09-06-2006
    • Toronto, Ontario, Canada
    • Posts 47
    • Points 0

    RE: Puppy stools

    Yay! Their poop has firmed up.

    The bonding issue is definitely a concern for us. I confess that I haven't been separating them very much this first week (just a few minutes at a time), but I need to put more focus on that. We plan to train them separately as well as together.

    BTW, I'll update my profile, but I am living in Canada. I tend to use British spellings and U.S. idioms. I read more British books but watch more American television. [:D]

    I forgot to say, I have a copy of Monica Segal's latest book. I also have the NRC's Nutrient Requirements of Dogs and Cats.
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  • 08-16-2007 10:58 AM In reply to kryan

    • huskymom
    • Top 25 Contributor
    • Joined on 09-10-2007
    • Thunder Bay ON
    • Posts 5,598
    • Points 465

    RE: Puppy stools

    Well I'm from the northern part of the province about 2 days from you, but hey Welcome to Idog!  Its always nice to see a fellow Candian abord!
    Candace






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