My dog has loose stools. What can I feed her to thicken them?

The ingredients in the diet you are currently feeding are fine and quinoa would not be more beneficial than potatoes or carrots unless there was a known issue with them. I see Luca's stool in the pictures and they are definitely loose. It also appears that he is straining to defecate. Without knowing more, I'm suspicious that there is a problem in the colon causing him to have diarrhea. This could be an infection, or an inflammatory bowel disease. Infection is a common cause of diarrhea in younger dogs. Either way, it's best to have him evaluated by your vet, because I'm not sure that a diet change will help his current condition. A vet can test his stool ( make sure to take a fresh sample with you) and possibly do other testing to help identify the cause. Once the cause of this is identified, the correct treatment and diet can be advised. You can help him get through this by feeding bland food (boneless chicken and rice is good). Feed small portions (1/2 cup or less) three times a day. You can also add probiotics to the food (can get this at the pet store), which has demonstrated some efficacy for improving diarrhea. Ensure fresh, clean water is always available. I hope this helps and Luca gets better soon.

As you know, Cushing's disease causes excessive cortisol (steroid) production, which can lead to an increased appetite. With the cortisol levels under control, Lucy's appetite may have regulated, but 13 pounds is a pretty significant weight loss. Normally, you should be able to easily feel (but not see) a dog's ribs and see a waistline when looking down on them from above. We can easily become accustomed to seeing overweight dogs as "normal" and can perceive a healthy weight as being too thin. (Without examining Lucy, I can't comment as to if she is truly underweight, or if her weight is appropriate.) Since her appetite has become picky and her Cushing's disease seems to be well controlled, there is also a chance that she has developed some primary intestinal issues (such as inflammatory bowel disease) chronic pancreatitis, or intestinal parasites. At this point, I recommend taking Lucy to her vet for another exam to assess her overall body condition and consider additional diagnostic testing (CBC, chemistry and abdominal ultrasound) to try to get to the bottom of this issue. I hope that all goes well!

Pooping blood can be related to medication, but without knowing the medications she is on, I can't say for certain. It's not a typical symptom of Cushings, however, and it could be caused by GI ulcers, intestinal parasites, eating something rotten, a foreign body, or GI tumors. Given that she is eating and drinking well, it's fine to wait until Monday, but if that changes or she becomes very lethargic and unwell, I would take her into an ER vet or find a vet on call to see her right away.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Sadie. A new food can lead to diarrhea and loose stool. I can give you a home remedy for her to see if that helps. Withhold food for 12 hours, then feed a bland diet of boiled white meat chicken (no bones) and white rice in small amounts several times a day for a couple of days. Then slowly add back in her normal diet. If the diarrhea continues on the bland diet, she refuses to eat the bland diet, she starts vomiting food, stops drinking water, starts vomiting water, or becomes very lethargic, she will need to see a vet right away. I hope this helps!

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I will strongly discourage you from giving Sophia Trilostan without knowing for sure that she has Cushing disease. She may have, for example ascites, diabetes or internal organ enlargement, which makes the belly look potted. In that case, giving Trilostan can lead to a life-threatening hypoadrenal crisis. Please, take your dog to your local vets to confirm the diagnosis and then start the treatment, if necessary.

Yes, that is possible, but i think it is more likely that the signs you described are due to a colitis, which is an inflammation of the last part of the intestine, very commonly dietary related. As a first approach, I would suggest to start feeding with a bland diet based on boiled chicken and rice in small portion every 6 hours for the following 48hours. Then gradually reintroduce the normal diet over 5 days. I would definitively recommend a veterinary check up if the signs persist or you notice vomiting, lethargy or inappetence. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

I have to be honest that I'm not familiar with this product, but I am hesitant about a product that calls itself "Miracle Vet." From what I can see, it contains a large number of calories, 2400 to be exact, which is more than they need daily. While I understand it's used to gain weight, I wouldn't recommend it. I would try to tempt her to eat on days where she's acting picky by mixing in some boiled white meat chicken (no bones) and white rice in with her normal food.