Orijen & loose stool

[Eeep]

Hi,

I have a 1 year old lab. He has been on a mix Orijen large puppy breed and Purina Lamb and rice since he was about 3 months old. I have gradually reduced the Purina part. He is now at about 1/3 Purina and 2/3 Orijen. But his stool is just so loose. I am just about to give up on this whole no grain idea and give in and just get some Hills or RC kibble.

I read somewhere on here that someone suggested adding in some canned pumpkin for added fiber and had success with that. Turns out you can't get canned pumpkin in the store unless is thanksgiving or Christmas. Anything else I could try to add fiber instead of pumpkin?

Thanks!

 

[gmacleod]

Well, there is no food in existence that suits every single dog - no matter what the quality (and there's no doubt that Orijen is several classes above the others you mention). Even if Orijen doesn't suit your dog, it doesn't mean that no grain free food will work for him.

Having said that, how much food do you feed him? The most common cause of loose stools is actually overfeeding, and it can often just be a matter of reducing the amount fed to see a difference. The guidelines given by the manufacturer are only a guide, after all - good for the average dog. But many require less than the average ;-) And some food manufacturers are distinctly "generous" in their recommendations also. Thus, unless you're already feeding a good amount less than the recommended portion, I'd suggest trying less food (perhaps 20-25% less) to see if that makes a difference.

As for pumpkin - yes, that can help to firm up stools. What you need is plain pureed pumpkin and to give 1 tablespoon only (more than that amount would have a laxative effect - making your problem worse, not better).

 

[MKAD]

Each dog is different. My Sam has always had loose stools (since I rescued him). I tried the 1 tbsp of pure pumpkin & it made it worse. His vet recommended to grind up bran flakes & sprinkle 1 tbsp over his food. That did the trick for us!
Good luck-
Mary

 

[EllieKem]

Emma loved Orijen but...

Unfortunately her tummy just couldn't handle it so I switched her over to Taste of the Wild and I haven't had a problem with her stool at all. She loves the flavors just as much as Orijen and I don't feel like I'm feeding her any less of a quality food.

Keep trying and don't give up - you'll the find the right food for your puppy

 

[Eeep]

Thank you all for taking the time to read and respond to my post.

gmacleod: I am aware that overfeeding is a common cause of loose stool. To be honest I don't pay much attention to how much the package says to feed. I just look at my dog and increase or decrease his food depending on looks and expected activity levels. That said, I am sure I am way below what Orijen recommends.

All meals are measured to the gram, so I know exactly how much he gets each meal. He is *very* fit and active, and if anything he is on the slim slide.

I found some canned pumpkin online that I ordered, that I will try to give him when it gets here. If that does not work I will try the grind-up bran flakes you suggested MKAD.

EllieKem. Unfortunately I can't get Taste of the Wild where I live. Going down the list of recommended food on Dog Food Analysis, I have go all the way down to a two star kibble like Nutro Choice :(

I thought I was just so lucky when I discovered that someone imported Orijen to Norway. He does very well in all other respects. Good muscle build, good coat and no other health issues.

ElliKem. Good to know it's not the lack of grains in the food that is causing the loose stool. I will keep trying different things. I might see if I can get hold of some Orijen Six fish and try that too.

On a side note. Since I thought I could not get hold of pumpkin, I decided to look at what wolves eat. According to Wikipedia Gray wolves have been seen causing serious damage to water melon farms.

Gray Wolf - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

That made me wonder if watermelon could serve as a substitute for pumpkin.

 

[argosrocks]

i know there are many suggestions out there,and i can only offer the one that worked and works for me ,add a tablespoon of real canned pumpkin(100% pumpkin,not pie filling) to his meals,it firms my guys stool right up,and gradually reduce till he stops having loose stools,i think the added fiber helps with orijen and foods of similar ingredients ie,,innova evo,etc..

 

[sriley]

My boys couldn't handle Orijen, either. Their stools were consistently loose for months before I gave up on the brand. I then switched to Taste of the Wild and they're now eating Fromm Four-Star Nutritionals (Chicken a la Veg) and their stools firmed up considerably on either of those foods.

I don't know if watermelon would have the desired effect you're looking for, but I can tell you that every Boxer that has been in my care absolutely LOVES watermelon. It makes a great treat. Sometimes I'll give them watermelon with their kibble as kibble is quite dehydrating. Watermelon is also full of lycopene which is a cancer-fighting nutrient.

 

[Eeep]

Update: Tried Bran Flakes

While waiting for the canned pumpkin I ordered, I'd thought I try the grind-up bran flakes. I gave him one small tablespoon of the grind-up flakes and the result - disastrous :(

We are no longer talking loose stool, we are talking diarrhea. So that did not sit well with him at all. Maybe he needs time getting used to it? But seriously, one tablespoon is not much.

I am scaling back a bit on the Orijen (again) and giving him a bit more of the Purina stuff while I continue to wait for the pumpkin. That firmed his stool up.