Whether your puppy is breathing fast or seeing another indication it might be struggling, it’s time to start inspecting.
Wanting to ensure they’re in the absolute prime shape of their life is detrimental to your well-being.
Summary
The two best remedies for dogs and puppies with soft stool that seem fine and don’t have diarrhea are Nutri-Vet Pre and Probiotic Soft Chews and Native Pet’s organic pumpkin.
If your dog experiences any of the following symptoms, it’s important to take them to the vet:
- Vomiting
- Poor appetite
- Lethargy
Continue reading
What comes out of your dog as the two of you are out walking can tell you a lot about how he’s doing. It includes his overall health.
Sometimes things may seem off. The poop may have a different color or have mucus in it. It’s only natural that you start worrying.
Being a pet parent is no different from having a little human baby. In this article, we’ll walk you through why your dog or puppy’s stool may be soft, even if it’s not diarrhea and he seems fine.
If he seems lethargic, it’s probably better to see a vet and get a professional opinion. Whenever you expect anything is wrong, give your pup the care he deserves.
Maybe your dog’s poop starts solid and then gets soft, or it gets softer as the day continues. Odd characteristics will help you understand what’s happening inside your pup’s gut and whether it’s a cause for concern.
An overview
Soft stool relates to the consistency and texture when it is not fully formed or can easily be picked up. While it may ruin your desire for soft-serve ice cream, it is exactly what it will look like. It can also turn into diarrhea, which you don’t want.
Supplement remedies for hardening soft puppy stool when he seems fine
There are a bunch of digestive aids and supplements out there, but not all are created equal. If your dog is experiencing issues with their stomach, these supplements could be a good first try before you approach the vet.
However, you’ll want to act sooner rather than later. In addition, seeing some of the symptoms described above could indicate simple supplements aren’t the solution.
Herbsmith Organic Slippery Elm for Dogs
It’s a great holistic approach to help your dog’s digestive system. With dogs experiencing gas and diarrhea, slippery elm could be a good option. It helps lower inflammation, and this brand is made in the US.
You don’t want anything added that makes your dog sicker, which is why we’d rather it’s not imported.
Pros
- We love the packaging.
- It’s great that it’s organic.
- It worked against constipation.
- It’s easy to mix in with the food.
Cons
- It’s not cheap.
- Some owners have more success with it than others.
Rx Vitamins Rx Clay
It’s a potent probiotic and helps against excess liquid. Your dog will love not feeling as bloated and having a normal stool once again. It’ll help maintain a healthy digestive tract and can be started as young as 12 weeks.
It’s also easy to use.
Pros
- It had a significant impact on the very same day.
- A lot of dogs will eat it without even noticing the taste.
- It can also help cats.
Cons
- It needs to be mixed in.
- It’s non-returnable
- Some people’s dogs have fewer results with it than others.
Great Poop Probiotics
With their chicken-flavored soft chew, this prebiotics and probiotics are winning pellets. This digestive enhancer also comes in nice packaging.
It’s a great daily option that provides a high-fiber supplement. Flax seed and bromelain also help with better digestion. To top it off, they’re made in the US.
Pros
- The packaging is adorable.
- Soft chews are easy to chew.
- The chicken taste is loved by most pets.
- It has been a magic fix for some.
Cons
- It doesn’t look to be returnable.
- Some dogs occasionally won’t appreciate the flavor.
If your dog has a soft stool and seems fine, it could be a probiotic that’s needed for them to get back on track fully.
Consistency Changes & factors to look out for
Consistency changes are important to consider, and there are certain factors to look out for. Changes to any of these factors are worth knowing whether or not it could be an issue.
- Texture: It includes whether it’s watery, diarrhea, strawberry jelly-like, soft, unusually hard, and its shape
- The presence of a mucus
- Color: It includes red, green, yellow, light brown, & dark brown
- The presence and prevalence of blood: Is it completely bloody, or are there streaks?
- Consistency and color of the blood: Tar-like, black, purple, dark, or brown blood.
Consistency changes can either happen throughout the day or during bowel movements. Note them so you can share your observations during the next checkup.
A soft stool can be put into different categories.
Soft-serve
It’s formless and watery and looks like the soft-serve ice cream we discussed earlier. It’s usually an indication that the microbiome needs some work.
Make sure to be aware of your dog’s usual behavior. Changes to the diet can cause stress on your pup, but here are the most common reasons:
- Eating garbage
- Eating unusual things they’re not used to
- A parasite, which often turns your dog’s stool into diarrhea eventually.
- Eating things from the yard.
With mucus
A microbiome imbalance is often to blame for this, as are the other things listed in the previous section. Quick dietary changes can develop a mucus membrane, as can a parasitic infection.
Yellow or orange in color
The presence of these colors in the poop is usually due to diet. Foods rich in these two colors can make it into the stool, but a disease can also cause it. One example is exocrine pancreatic insufficiency.
If you suspect it’s the case, have your vet do a diagnostic test. They can tell you whether it’s caused by disease.
Dog’s Poop Starts Solid Then Gets Soft
An unbalanced microbiome can cause the dog’s poop to start solid and become soft. Probiotics are an easy way to start treating it. Ask your vet for recommendations on the probiotic that you should go to. Each vet usually has their own opinion and can help you find the right brand.
Dog’s Poop Gets Softer as the Day Goes On
It’s common for dogs to have to go as they’re done eating. In the ideal state, the time of the day should not influence what’s leaving their small stomachs. An upset stomach causes a range of things, which can include increased gastrointestinal motility.
In short, it comes out as either diarrhea or soft stool.
The stool can normally start as you begin your walk, just to turn more loose in consistency later on. Perhaps it’s even soft toward the end of the walk.
It’s not necessarily a bad sign. Fecal contents may not have had time to absorb water while sitting in the colon. As it sits there for longer, it ends up absorbing more water.
Watch out for your dog’s behavior. A happy dog eating, as usual, may not have any problems.
what treatment can I give my dog to harden his stool
It’s important you know that the first step is identifying what is causing the soft poop. However, it may be possible to treat it easily. At-home options are readily available as well as veterinarian options.
- Try out a good probiotic.
For a probiotic that is great and won’t break the bank, we recommend Nutri-Vet. It’s no secret that having a dog can be an expensive endeavor. You might as well save a little bit of money as long as the product is equally good.
The more expensive products aren’t any better than Nutri-Vet.
| Name | Nutri-Vet Pre and Probiotic Soft Chews |
| Flavor | Liver, Cheese |
| Manufacturer | Manna Pro LLC |
| Product Dimensions | 3.5 x 3.75 x 3.5 inches |
Pros
- It’s a product trusted by thousands.
- We gave it to a dog that loved it.
- We became believers after trying it.
Cons
- They’re a bit hard.
- Some dogs may not like them.
- Nutri-Vet is sometimes out of stock on Amazon.
- Adding organic canned pumpkin.
It’s important not to get pumpkin pie filling. Xylitol is toxic for dogs and can usually be found in pumpkin pie filling. Organic canned pumpkin is a great way to add fiber to your pet’s diet.
We recommend Native Pet Organic Pumpkin, which ensures your friend won’t get anything that’ll further upset his stomach.
| Name | Native Pet Organic Pumpkin |
| Flavor | Apple, Pumpkin |
| Item Form | Powder |
| Item Weight | 8 Ounces |
| Package Dimensions | 4.8 x 3.46 x 3.43 inches |
| Product Benefits | Antioxidant, Heart Health |
Pros
- It’s made specifically for your furry friend.
- It does what it’s advertised to do.
- It helped with GI symptoms.
- The dog loves it.
- It is worth the cost.
Cons
- It’s definitely more expensive than a normal pumpkin.
- You’ll never go back to the canned pumpkin after this.
- It’s not super cheap to use consistently.
- Find a bland food brand
Simpler food can help a dog’s stomach, especially if they’re prone to stomach issues. Boneless, cooked chicken breast is also an option. Lean-cooked hamburger meat is also good.
- Vet options
If you try out probiotics and fiber and it doesn’t help, it might be time to turn to the vet. At-home options are not always the solution, and diagnostic tests might be needed.
They’ll help determine the underlying cause to see if serious health issues are present and causing it. A PCR test can look at viral pathogens, bacteria, and parasites.
These are all the possible offenders causing soft stool in your dog. The treatment required will then depend on what the results of the diagnostics tests say.
Cost to Treat Soft Dog Poop
Treating your dog’s soft stool will cost between $15 and several hundred dollars. It depends on the cause and what’s needed. If they simply need a probiotic, you can get it through the links above.
Your furry friend will be off running again in no time. Fecal tests can set you back $25 for the cheap ones, but specialized testing might be several hundred dollars.
On top of that, there’s the price of the medication. The length of time needed for treatment will greatly affect the overall cost associated.
Dietary indiscretion could require a fecal test, and dietary changes would be necessary. The cost of specialty service will vary depending on where you are in the country.
Here is generally what you can expect to pay for different services rendered.
| Abdominal x-ray | $200 |
| Abdominal ultrasound | $400 |
| Complete blood panel | $200 |
| Examination fees | $65 |
| In-house fecal test | $35 |
| PCR test | $35 |
| Urinalysis | $50 |
If you have pet health insurance, they might cover some of this treatment. Veterinary bills and diagnostics are often covered. While you want your pup to be healthy and never need medical care, health insurance can help shoulder the cost when you need it.
Sometimes bad things happen, and having a policy means you’re saving at the moment.
Why is my dog’s poop runny?
After reading this, we hope it’s become more clear that your dog’s poop can be runny for several reasons. It’s not always a cause for concern but could indicate that they’re stressed or need fiber.
My dog keeps getting diarrhea every few weeks.
If you’ve tried some of the supplements we recommend, and fiber and probiotics aren’t helping, you should see a vet. Delaying necessary treatment is good for no one.
If your puppy has diarrhea but is still playful, we’d encourage you to try a fiber and probiotic supplement. If the issues persist, it might be time to see a vet.
When is dog diarrhea an emergency: Should you be concerned?
If you see the soft stool continuing or worsening over more than two days, it’s time to take action. Blood in the stool is a cause for concern, as is a dog that gets several of the following symptoms in combination:
- Vomiting
- Poor appetite
- Lethargy
- Changes to their mood
- Diarrhea
FAQ
Loose stool is typically not caused by grain-free dog food. However, changes to the diet can cause it. Any time you change what your little one is eating, there will take some time to get used to it.
Changing gut flora can overwhelm them, and stinky poo could be the result. A raw food diet and a poor diet can contribute to and worsen the smell. Underlying issues could also cause it.
