Cross Breeds

Is loose stool normal for a 9 week old English Bulldog Puppy?

I have a 9 week old English Bulldog. The breeder gave me a bag of Diamond Naturals Small Breed Puppy Formula. His stool is soft, not runny, formed but quite loose. I am not sure if this is normal for a little guy or if I should consider changing his diet. He is not due to go to the vet for almost 10 days. Sometimes he has a little difficulty finishing pooping, I hope you can tell me if this is normal.

Public Comments

1. The "small breed puppy" food bothers me...Since when are Bulldogs small? I would give your breeder a call and ask if the pup has had any problems that he or she knows of since they started him on the solid food and go from there.
2. It is nothing to be concerned about. Most likely it is from change in his environment and him being a bit stressed about it. Keep an eye on it. Possibly the breeder may have had him dewormed before you brought him home as well.
3. Sometimes this happens from the stress of transitioning into a new home. If it doesn't get better within a couple of days, I'd go to the vet to have him checked out and get a stool sample checked. If he's having any other symptoms, like poor appetite, lethargy or vomiting, you should get him to the vet as soon as possible. I wouldn't change the food right now, since that may make your problem worse!
4. He is probably just stressed. Many times that happens during the adjustment period. If his stools become runny or he starts vomiting, then take him to the vet.
5. Lol Natural dog food can make the stool very soft. Just becaus its natural doesn't mean its safe or better, many natural dog food contain known toxic plants-some of what is safe for us to eat is not safe for our pets to eat, its actually toxic to them.here is a list of known toxic plants, Marigold, Potatoes, Avacodo(Alligator Pear), Almonds, Yucca(Yucca is common ingredients as an extract, but in nearly all dog foods) I know it says cats, but what cats are toxic to, is normally the same with dogs. http://www.cathelp-online.com/emergency/poisonplants.php
6. I agree with the possibility of stress, but pups can get dehydrated very fast and can be dangerous. I'd go ahead and take him in now to check for parasites, cheap to fix and can kill a puppy quick, and will give you piece of mind. If you can't afford the vet right away, give him Kaopectate to slow the loose stools until you can get him in. Pepto-Bismol or Kaopectate - Sometimes a dose of Pepto-Bismol or Kaopectate can solve a mild case of stomach or intestinal upset. However, Pepto-Bismol contains salicylates, the active ingredient in aspirin, so dogs that are aspirin sensitive should be given Kaopectate. Any vomiting or diarrhea that persists for more than 24 hours needs your veterinarian's attention. Be sure to mention if you have given any Pepto-Bismol to your dog; the tablet form of Pepto-Bismol looks just like a quarter on X-rays. 1 ml per pound every two hours until diarrhea eases up.
7. Sometimes breeders give a bag of premium food with the pupppy, while they use other food in their kennel. The sudden food change then almost always causes diarrhea in puppies. Anyway, a small breed puppy formula is NOT recommended for bulldogs. Your puppy would need puppy food for medium breeds. It is important that puppies of medium and large breeds, and especially bulldogs, do not put on weight too fast as this may cause bone and joint problems later on. That is why bulldogs (and medium or large breeds of dogs) should be fed a formula especially designed for them. Many brands have a special formula for medium breed puppies, for example Royal Canin. If you want to change formula, this should be done VERY gradually to avoid further problems (see the article below). If in doubt or if the situation persists, don't wait until the next visit, but take your puppy to the vet. Make sure your puppy is wormed regularly.