Dogs are prone to have soft stools.Many cases of soft stool are not serious and can be quickly cleared up.If your dog is having trouble forming a stool, you may need to give them more help.It's possible to help your dog firm up their stool by being aware of what you feed them and making sure their environment is stress-free.
Step 1: Understand that there is a difference between soft stool and diarrhea.
There is a subtle difference between stools.You should be able to pick up a soft stool for disposal.It is impossible to pick up diarrhea, which is a liquid with no form.It's an indicator of ill health if the dog is trying to excrete toxins from their gut.Soft stools are usually the result of an inappropriate or poor quality diet, lack of fiber, or feeding food that the dog is allergic to.
Step 2: Understand what to do if your dog has a problem.
The owner should follow the dog outside to observe the nature of the tummy upset.A veterinary check up is strongly advised if there is blood present, if the dog seems unwell, or if it is very watery.Don't feed the dog for 24 hours if it is well, but make sure you have plenty of fresh water.Feed a bland diet consisting of cooked chicken and boiled white rice for two to three days until the stools firm up.You can see how to prepare chicken and rice for your dog.Any dog that has had more than two days of vomiting should see a doctor.
Step 3: Understand the needs of animals.
If your dog has soft stool you will want to make it easier for them to poop and make sure they are in optimal health.In order to be healthy and to have normal bowel movements, dogs need a diet made of digestible fiber.The best diet for dogs is meat-based.A vegetarian or meat-based diet is acceptable for dogs.In a vegetarian diet, beans and peas are provided.These can cause a soft stool.If your dog is on a vegetarian diet, consider a change to a good quality meat-based diet.
Step 4: A balanced diet is what you want.
It is not always necessary to feed your dog a top-end pet store diet.In the same way chocolate cake is more appealing than a bean salad, the pté-type diet can be very rich and high in minerals to make them palatable for picky eaters.Look for a food that says meat is the main ingredient.It must list actual meat, not meat derivatives, meat offal, or meat by-products.White meats include chicken, turkey, rabbit, or white fish.Since the food is likely to contain less processed ingredients and Preservatives, look for a low number of ingredients.Look for rice, wheat, oats, or barley instead of soy or soya products.If you are paying for better quality ingredients, you should pay more for a good quality food than a high quality product.
Step 5: Give your puppy a diet that is free of the dairy product Lactose.
Bitch's milk is the only milk suitable for dogs.Lactol is a milk replacer that is made up of water.If you notice that your puppy is passing soft stools, you should switch to a Lactose-free diet.Some puppies are born with a deficiency.Lactose is the primary sugar component in milk.Puppies with this deficiency can't break down lactose into sugars that can be eaten.The puppy passes soft stools because of undigested sugars.
Step 6: You should switch from wet to dry food.
The canned or pouched wet diet has around 75% water, compared to 10% for the dry diet.The stools were more bulky because of the higher moisture content.This will have a big impact on the volume and weight of the stool.Take some time to change your dog's diet.Take at least four to five days to add the new diet to your dog's food.It gives the flora and fauna a chance to adapt.It is possible to make stools softer with a highprotein diet like beef, chicken, and dog food.Water is drawn from the intestines by the by-products of digestion.Soft stools can be caused by wheat-based dog foods.
Step 7: Don't give your dog food that is high in fat.
Fats that become rancid should be avoided.Do not feed your dog fast food.Commercial fast foods are usually fried using palm oil that is hard to digest and can turn rancid.Your dog can have watery stools if bad fats form a layer in the intestine.
Step 8: Feed your dog a bland diet.
A bland diet would include soft cooked rice and lean ground pork or lamb.If your dog's stool doesn't firm up after five days, you should feed them this mixture.Most commercially available dog foods that are made for improving stool are rice-based because it's low in salt and high inamylase.Royal Canin Intestinal, Eukanuba, and Hill's Science Diet are dog foods that promote more solid stools.
Step 9: Give your dog something to live in.
The gut is made of a bunch of bugs.If your dog has had a poor diet and soft stools for a while, it can lead to an overgrowth of "unhelpful"bacteria in the gut.Adding "helpful"bacteria can help correct this imbalance, improve digestion, and firm up a soft stool.Fortiflora contains Enterococcus faecium, which is contained in non-prescription probiotic powders.This is for dogs.You mix it into the dog's food for about five days.Dogs don't have the same flora as people, so feeding them human products is thought not to be helpful, and at worst, they could get sick.For larger dogs, you should give them at least one small bottle per day, or half a bottle for five days.
Step 10: You can add fiber to your dog's food.
Increased fiber in the diet of dogs with soft stools can benefit them.Fiber helps absorb fluid like a sponge and can help with a soft stool.It is thought to reduce the risk of colon cancer, and is a bulking agent that helps the dog feel better and eat less if they are overweight.If you have too much of a good thing, look for a crude fiber content of 10% on food packaging.You can add fiber to their diet by using wheat or oats.Start with a small amount for your dog's body weight.Don't give canned vegetables as they have high salt levels.
Step 11: Always have fresh water for your dog.
Dogs with soft stools lose water because of the raised fluid content, so it is important for them to have access to clean drinking water.Make sure that your dog always has fresh, clean water by washing and cleaning his or her water bowl at least every other day.
Step 12: Do not engage in activities with your dog.
If your dog is stressed out by taking a bath, try to delay it for a few days.There is a link between stress and GI problems in some dogs.In order to firm the stool, you need to reduce the stress.Stress makes it harder for your dog to process food because the acidic intestines favor the goodbacteria.If the dog is put on a bland, easy to digest diet such as chicken and white rice, the bowel will be less work to do.
Step 13: If soft stool persists, take your dog to the vet.
Changes to diet can clear up a lot of cases of soft stool, but it can also be a sign of other health problems.If your dog continues to pass soft stools even after you change their diet, you should take them to the vet.