Constipated Dog - Very Dry Poo

[Katdogs]

Stevie has very dry crumbly poo. Sometimes she struggles a bit, seems to strain for ages to poo.

Apart from liquid parafin for the short term, what should I be adding to her diet longer-term to balance this?

She usually has a barf pattie in the morning, then chicken necks in the evening. This is varied with sardines, tuna, turkey neck, chicken frame, yoghurt quite often, whole egg, 'dog soup' (which is every veggie mashed together, plus garlic and a bit of cod liver oil), and whatever scraps and offcuts she can beg while I'm cooking or eating. She's just about right weight, maybe needs to lose half a kilo but I'd rather do that with increased exercise than cut back her food any more. And she also eats LOTS of green grass from the backyard, and any cat poo she can find, and is on Joint Guard.

Jodie has the same diet and doesn't seem to struggle as much.

Any ideas?

[Guest Piximatosis]

I would cut back slightly on the amount of bone in the diet personally.

[Guest Tess32]

Yep cut back on bone, increase the MEATY bones. Frames and necks are pretty much all bone. Try at least chicken wings, chicken quarters, lamb necks etc.

[poodlefan]

More veggies and more exercise should do the trick.

[Katdogs]

Thanks, good ideas. I had a feeling there was too much bone but most meat is either very expensive or seems high in fat.

What's chicken quarters? Do you mean a whole chicken cut into quarters, including wings, drumsticks, breast etc?

[oakway]

I would be cutting back the bone in the diet. Also check that the anal glands are working correctly.

The anal glands usually coat the poo so they don't have to strain so hard.

[lucknow]

I would add more water to the diet as dogs that suffer periodic constipation often don't seem to drink enough (and it is easy to do). Vets often recommend Metamucil to add extra fibre also, maybe if other suggestions don't help first it could helpful.

[Guest Tess32]

Thanks, good ideas. I had a feeling there was too much bone but most meat is either very expensive or seems high in fat.

What's chicken quarters? Do you mean a whole chicken cut into quarters, including wings, drumsticks, breast etc?

Chicken quarters are chicken maryland pieces Includes the drumstick. Funnily enough all three of my dogs are tucking into one each right now

[Katdogs]

So whole drumsticks and wings are ok?

I thought there were too many sharp bits, but probably misunderstood. I'll try to get some meatier bits.

Stevie tends to bolt things down really fast without chewing properly LABX!!! so I have to be careful what she gets, the lamb bones seem to stay whole on their way through her and come out the other end.

Perhaps I spend too much time studying my dogs' poo? But I have to pick it up every day, I can't help but notice!

[Guest Tess32]

yeah they are all fine, my pup is 17 weeks and has been eating marylands for a month or so with no probs.

I also get boiler chickens, cut them in half and hand one half to each dog.

Don't worry, I'm sure there are plenty of us who watch every poo

[Gayle.]

Try adding water to the meals by whisking it into the meat or vege mixture, make up a low salt thin gravy and pour that over her meals or freeze treats in water for her to lick.

Also for dogs that bolt down chicken pieces, freezing larger pieces slows them down. Our puppy gets a frozen drumstick every morning when she's left in her run...it keeps her occupied for ages while we all leave for work and school.

[Rysup]

I learnt this from having a baby.

Dry poo does NOT mean constipation. It means dry poo.

As others have said, decrease the bone content and it should settle down and not be so dry and crumbly.

[rose of tralee]

As well as decreasing the bone, consider introducing organs if there are no contraindications. I didn't see any organs in your list. Heart, though a meat rather than an organ, is rich and may counter some bone too. Heart here costs $5/ kg. Just go very easy on first introduction of heart, liver etc; an inch cube (what size is your dog??) may be ample and wait at least a few days before the next piece until you're satisfied about tolerance developing.

[Daxilly]

After $620 of emergency callout, x-rays and eventually enema for constipation for my ACD, I have tried most things. At this stage they seem to be working.

Add half a teaspoon of psyllium (sp) husks mixed with a small amount of warm water to their food. It is like metamusil but without the colour/flavouring and cheaper. It can be purchased from most health food stores.

You seem to be giving vegies but I have included a small amount of roo mince into the diet. Too much may cause the opposite effect, as it is quite rich, so it may be trial and error to get the amount right.

My lab had no problems on the original Barfish diet but the ACD got constipated. I have also tried to reduce their bone consumption. We didn't need more exercise although I believe that can also help. Make sure they get enough water, also another good treatment.

If all else fails, I have the emergency can of PAL on standby just in case she gets clogged up again

Good luck

[Poodle wrangler]

If all else fails, I have the emergency can of PAL on standby just in case she gets clogged up again

I was going to suggest a can of the cheapest dog food you can find as a laxative. Read it on another post here.

[MonElite]

How old is your dog? I think it is possible that the older the dog gets the slower the digestion hence the food sits in the gut longer and more moisture is take out at the bowel hence constipation.

Im having a simmilar prob with Rex, I have cut down on the bones, including meaty bones.

Increased vegies and organs. Mince meat with veg or vets all natural is now served every second day instead of every third day. Basically more roughage, more wheat, rice vegies.

seems to have done the trick.

[Katdogs]

Thanks, heaps of good replies here!

Stevie's a LabXGoldie, about 35kg, just over two years old. She's not completely blocked up, just has to work hard at the poo business, a lot harder than I'd want to myself (eewww). I was trusting that the Barf pattie each day would be enough organs/offal, mainly because I've tried giving the dogs organs before and they didn't seem too impressed (the only time Stevie rejected food completely was kidney), and also because I'm not confident with quantities etc. Also I hate the feel and smell of liver/kidney/etc! We've been avoiding cereals because Stevie was having lots of ear infection problems and they seem to have cleared up since starting the Barf/bones/vegies diet. I didn't think of heart, that might be ok.

I'll try increasing the vegie (and exercise) quota and and get some roo mince - the pet food place we get the turkey necks and Barf patties has roo mince, should this be ok?

Jodie's a KelpieX?? about 15kg, she eats almost the same amount as Stevie and doesn't put on weight, but poor Stevie gains fat on one cheezel :rolleyes:

[benny123]

I poached a lambs fry to slice and dry in the oven as training treats. I put some of the liver poaching water on their dinner.....oh boy, next morning it was like they'd had an enema(sp). Yuk.

Good clean out though :rolleyes:

[rose of tralee]

One thing about handling heart, your butcher may be willing to cut a beef heart into strips the length of the heart. These are easy to cut when somewhat thawed, less bloody than cutting small portions from completely thawed heart. And if you don't want to commit to a whole heart, the butcher would probably sell a portion. They are usually already opened up from the inspection process. Lamb hearts turn up sometimes, they're whole, at least the ones I find in the supermarket.

[persephone]

Dry poo does NOT mean constipation. It means dry poo.

:rolleyes:

and AFAIK a bit of 'work' to expel a stool is a good thing..empties out those anal glands as they are meant to be

I see so many dogs just defecate with absolutely no effort..nothinmg is really solid anymore.

I see fox scats around..I know...NOT dogs..and they are very hard..full of bone and fur and carapaces of bugs, and seeds... bet they don't have blocked anal glands