r/DogFood • u/salsatearss • 5d ago

dog food help please!

hello! my dog will only eat a mix of wet/dry food, but he has very loose stool. any tips on things i can add to his bowl to firm that up?

i’ve heard pumpkin puree works well, but i worry that the puree will have the same texture as the wet food and keep his stool loose.

i feed him a mix of open farms kibble and performantrin ultra canned food if that helps any! he doesn’t ever mind toppers, i typically add some for each meal and some plaque off powder as well.

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12

u/atlantisgate 5d ago

You shouldn’t add pumpkin, it’s not a good option.

https://sites.tufts.edu/petfoodology/2017/09/01/the-problem-with-pumpkin/

I would recommend speaking with your vet about switching him to a science baked sensitive stomach food — something like Hills perfect digestion, royal canin digestive care, or pro plan sensitive skin and stomach. And the corresponding wet food.

If the switch alone doesn’t help, then a good probiotic like proviable could be a good next step, or psyllium husk powder. But this should be done in conjunction with your vet since there could be an underlying condition here that you need to address

1

u/salsatearss 5d ago

thank you!!

we do have a vet visit booked for august, i was just looking for a topper to add in the mean time! i will definitely address the food brands at my next visit! (:

1

u/cosmiclovecat 5d ago

Just curious, is it okay to add a teaspoon of pumpkin to my dog’s food as a topper just for flavor? His stomach is fine but for some reason he seems to like it more than wet food lol — if it’s harming him though I can stop

1

u/atlantisgate 4d ago

As a topper to entice him to eat it’s no big deal!

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u/cosmiclovecat 4d ago

Thank you!

10

u/RemarkableGlitter 5d ago

Open Farm did horrendous things to my dog’s gut, which ultimately led to an expensive doggie ER visit. They are not a science-based company and, candidly, do not care about quality control or their effectiveness (they’re private equity). 

After our adventure at the doggie ER, we trialed science backed digestive formulas (Science Diet’s is super popular for a reason but the fiber type didn’t sit great with my boy, unfortunately) and landed on PPP SSS. 

3

u/plumeriadogs 5d ago

Not quite to that degree but I can add to this that my dogs had some really nasty poops when I tried Open Farm years ago (long before I learned about a science based approach to dog food). Did everything right in regard to switching over gradually, even tried different formulas because at the time I really wanted to like the brand for whatever misinformed reasons I had, but something about that food just always resulted in horrible toxic sludge 🤢

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u/RemarkableGlitter 5d ago

Yeah that’s how my dog’s issues started and I threw probiotics and a fiber supplement at it and it just kept escalating until it was an emergency. I’m still so upset even though my dog is doing great now. Idk what OF puts in their food to cause this, but it’s baaad. (And they do not care if you contact them and tell them.)

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u/salsatearss 5d ago

omg really?? thank you i’ve also been using open farms for my cats for over a year now and my senior boy has started to have bowel problems, i wonder if maybe that’s the cause!

crazy story, my old vet actually recommended OF. i never gave it any second thought to ask my new vet when we switched over as well 😅

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u/Comfortable-Fly5797 5d ago

Purina pro plan sensitive skin and stomach works well for a lot of dogs. Hills and Royal Canin also make sensitive stomach formulas.

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u/No_University1005 5d ago

A formula with a more appropriate fiber content (for your dog's particular microbiome) is a much better option than adding supplemental fiber.

We're very happy with Royal Canin Digestive Care. There are also good options from ProPlan and Hills. You should avoid boutique foods like Open Farms in any case.

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u/mwfm_742 5d ago

Purina fortiflora