I want to share some of the things that have worked for me over the years when I was trying to get a dog's digestive system back on track.
Pumpkin:
I still remember as a new foster parent the first time I used pumpkin puree on a foster dog. I had been struggling for a couple days to get their gut settled and a veteran foster parent suggested adding some pumpkin into their food. "I thought that was for when they are constipated?" I asked, confused. She told me it works for both constipation and loose stool. "What? That makes no sense." But nothing else had worked so I mixed a spoonful in with their food. And it worked! Pumpkin is MAGIC!
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| I roast up large batches of sweet potato or pumpkin and freeze it in quart freezer bags since I go through a lot of it |
Why does it work? A couple reasons. First it adds some bulky, insoluble fiber into their gut which bulks things up and keeps things moving. But more important for our purpose, it also has high amounts of soluble fiber in it which tends to coat and soothe the intestines as it passes through.
You can just buy the ready to go canned pumpkin puree that you use to make pie. Make sure NOT to get the can that has the sugar and spice added. If a can is too much you can always freeze the extra in ice cube trays and then use it as needed with future foster dogs.
Another easy option is the product "Firm Up" made by Diggin Your Dog. It's a dehydrated pumpkin powder you can just mix with a bit of water as you need.
Perfect Form:
This powder made by The Honest Kitchen is equally as magical as pumpkin but is especially helpful for dogs with super sensitive guts. The herbal mixture works to coat and soothe the intestines. This is something to get a bout of diarrhea very quickly under control. They now have Perfect Form available in small packets too so you only have to open how much you need and can keep the rest fresh. Amazing stuff! One thing to note: picky dog aren't going to want to eat this. Apparently it tastes a bit nasty but my dogs have always sucked it right down when it is mixed with a wet food.
Probiotics:
I know that I told you the probiotics can loosen the stool. BUT, as it gets to work it can really help clean up the gut, get a good balance of bacteria in there, and help get rid of any imbalance issues that might be causing loose stool.
I'm not talking yogurt or cottage cheese here. I'm talking a high potency, refrigerated probiotic powder that you buy in a health food store. Even the most natural of indie pet food stores rarely carry probiotics over 10 million CFU (colony forming units). Something in the 5-10 billion CFU range is a better bet, I've found.
A good probiotic helps add healthy microflora to the gut which will break food down but also clean up the lining of the intestines. I am currently reading up on which bacteria are best, especially for dogs, but I do know that if you must use a food source rather than the powder, kiefer is a better bet than yogurt as its strains of bacteria tend to colonize in the gut better, making the effect more lasting. Kiefer also has a much higher bacteria count than yogurt.
Canned Dog Food:
Sometimes kibble (or raw) is just too much for a stressed out, unhealthy dog to break down. Switching to a high quality canned food will make digestion much easier on them and will get some moisture into them as well.
SeaCure:
This stinky powder is a supplement made out of hydrolyzed (i.e. pre-digested) Pacific Whiting (Ocean White Fish). It is loaded with amino acids and peptides that can fix almost any gut problem. The idea of the powder was actually developed as a food source for starving people whose digestive systems had pretty much shut down. This is another amazing product and this one both provides essential nutrients and balances the gut. Great for sick puppies or elderly dogs who are struggling.
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