Dog Poop

[brianthephysicist]

My landlord owns a German Sheppard that lives in the backyard. On occasion, I go back there to play with him and take him for walks through the neighborhood.  If we're out for a walk when he happens to need to poop, it's always either soft like pudding or it's entirely liquid.  I always attributed this to the leftovers that my landlord would give the dog (he is from China and cooks authentic Asian food).  

 

My landlord is now on vacation and is paying me to watch his dog.  As I was instructed by my landlord, I've been feeding him Ol' Roy canned dog food in the morning and Purina Dog Chow dry food in the evening along with a fresh bowl of water at each meal.  I assumed that with this diet and no weird table scraps his poop would begin to be more solid, but it isn't even though this has been his diet since Feb 14th.  

 

The canned dog food I was given comes in 3 flavors: "Hearty Cuts in Gravy: With Beef", "Hearty Cuts in Gravy: Country Stew", and "Hearty Cuts in Gravy: Cheeseburger".  The last one sounds a bit odd, so for the last few days, I've been avoiding that flavor in the rotation.  

 

Does anyone have any ideas to help the dog?

[homeschoolmom]

:paperbag: Why do I always open threads I know I will regret???

[PhuturePriest]

The subject matter of this thread makes me uncomfortable...

[Evangetholic]

If you do not mind you could purchasing it you could buy the dog a better quality dry dog food. Wet food isn't great for dogs anyway--rots their teefises.

Edited March 9, 2013 by Evangetholic

[Nihil Obstat]

Most grocery store pet foods are not very healthy. We always go with the vet foods. More expensive, but way better for the animals.

[Evangetholic]

If you do not mind you could purchasing it you could buy the dog a better quality dry dog food. Wet food isn't great for dogs anyway--rots their teefises.

 

Reyb wrote that sentence for me. He's such a dear.

[Autumn Dusk]

DO NOT change the dog's food.  German Shepards are know for exocrine pancreatic insufficiency.  The real test for that would be to see if bovine (cow) pancreas from the butcher makes him better....not pork pancreas as that is dangerous.  Besides that the dog may be allergic to wheat, rice, chicken, pork or beef.  The dog could also be allergic to grass (I know a dog who was, but it was a terrier) or some other thing besides food causing it's stomach upset.  Ultimately it's the owners responsibility, and not your decision unless your watching him for a few months at a time.  Everything...even switching from old roy has its risks.

[Gabriela]

Take him to the vet!

[Laudate_Dominum]

"Hearty Cuts in Gravy: With Beef", "Hearty Cuts in Gravy: Country Stew", and "Hearty Cuts in Gravy: Cheeseburger". 

Frak that. This is giving me flashbacks of cleaning up putrid, mucousy dog diarrhea.

[ToJesusMyHeart]

Giving the dog two different foods at breakfast and dinner is a probable cause for the diarrhea. 

 

Keeping the dog on the exact same DRY food for all meals is what we always advised owners to do when I worked at the vet. 

 

If that doesn't work after about a week, I'd take the dog to the vet. 

 

TL;DR: No more wet food, give the dry stuff at all meals. 

[brianthephysicist]

DO NOT change the dog's food.  German Shepards are know for exocrine pancreatic insufficiency.  The real test for that would be to see if bovine (cow) pancreas from the butcher makes him better....not pork pancreas as that is dangerous.  Besides that the dog may be allergic to wheat, rice, chicken, pork or beef.  The dog could also be allergic to grass (I know a dog who was, but it was a terrier) or some other thing besides food causing it's stomach upset.  Ultimately it's the owners responsibility, and not your decision unless your watching him for a few months at a time.  Everything...even switching from old roy has its risks.

 

 

Giving the dog two different foods at breakfast and dinner is a probable cause for the diarrhea. 

 

Keeping the dog on the exact same DRY food for all meals is what we always advised owners to do when I worked at the vet. 

 

If that doesn't work after about a week, I'd take the dog to the vet. 

 

TL;DR: No more wet food, give the dry stuff at all meals. 

 

Both of these bring some good ideas.  I'll email him to see what he thinks.  There might be more information I'm not privy too.  Thanks so much guys.

[cartermia]

Yeah I would do what they said to do.  My dog (a black lab) was kinda doing that put it was because the dry dog food we had on. We had just switched it and he had probably been on that for more than a year.

[Norseman82]

I had two cocker spaniels.  There are only two other things that have not been mentioned that I can offer from experience:

 

1)  If they ever had fat (such as from meat on a bone), that would "give them the runs".

2)  This may sound strange, but I would sometimes sprinkle a small amount of Metamucil on the dog food (get the vet's and the owner's OK before doing this, though).

[Mercy me]

DO NOT change the dog's food.  German Shepards are know for exocrine pancreatic insufficiency.  The real test for that would be to see if bovine (cow) pancreas from the butcher makes him better....not pork pancreas as that is dangerous.  Besides that the dog may be allergic to wheat, rice, chicken, pork or beef.  The dog could also be allergic to grass (I know a dog who was, but it was a terrier) or some other thing besides food causing it's stomach upset.  Ultimately it's the owners responsibility, and not your decision unless your watching him for a few months at a time.  Everything...even switching from old roy has its risks.

 

I agree, endocrine pancreatic insufficiency is something that needs to be looked at.  Seeing has he is not your dog, I would be inclined to do as the own says and report it to his owner upon his return.

[cmotherofpirl]

Make him a meal of boiled rice and baked chicken, ratio of 3 -1 and see if that doesn't help. Dogs are omnivores and are not made to live on a steady diet  of ground up animal parts in a can.