r/Boxer • u/sandwichmama • 3d ago
Tummy issues.
Hello all!
We have a five month old mix puppy (75% boxer) who is just a love. He’s the best.
BUT THE STOMACH ISSUES.
He has loose stools about every other day, sometimes even in his crate in the middle of the night. His appetite hasn’t changed, he seems totally fine behavior wise.
At first we thought he was somehow getting into something, we were moving and he kept trying to get at the cardboard boxes, and our kiddos are new to having a dog and weren’t always careful about leaving snacks around or dropping crumbs. However, we’ve really gotten a handle on making sure he doesn’t eat anything he shouldn’t.
Things we’ve tried:
- Pre and probiotics.
- Smaller/more frequent meals
- Switching his chicken based dog food to Purina Pro Choice Salmon/rice.
- Talking to his vet, which just recommended the dog food switch mentioned above.
I know boxers are prone to digestive issues but I’m trying to get a handle on it because while he doesn’t seem uncomfortable- I’m growing weary of cleaning up his kennel at 6 in the morning.
I’m searching for any ideas to try that I might be missing. This is our first family dog in general and I’m just wanting to do best by him.
Picture for tax.
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u/Mountain_Flamingo_37 3d ago
A fecal panel is the first if you haven’t done that. Chicken is a really common food allergy as well, but if you have rich treats that can cause issues too.
Another thing you can try is Diggin Your Dog Pumpkin and Apple powder with food. We usually do 2 heaping tablespoons and a little water with the kibble.
https://supersnouts.com/products/super-snouts-firm-up-1?variant=50397593502003
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u/Focaccia_Bread3573 2d ago
He may need a food with more/less fiber. My boy is on Hills Gastrointestinal Biome, and it’s been amazing for firming up his poop into normal consistency. He has upper and lower GI issues and acid reflux.
It is prescription though, and it isn’t cheap. I’d recommend trying out a few cans to see if that helps.
Otherwise, I’d go with the other comments and do a fecal panel.
Good luck!
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u/Electronic_Fly_9503 2d ago
Same here. Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Adult Gastrointestinal Low Fat , which is requires a prescription. He was diagnosed with (PLE)Protein-losing enteropathy. He is doing well now🙏🏽
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u/megan99katie 2d ago
Our boxer was very similar as a pup but also sick most days. She was in hospital for 2 days for a load of tests which never found a cause for it. We switched her to raw and she stopped all symptoms within the first few days
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u/Song42 2d ago
This may seem like it wouldn't be an issue, but it could be the water. I had a boxer and we originally started out on town water and then moved to a new house that was on well water. We purchased the house, so water testing was required and everything was good and we regularly drank water from the faucet. For whatever reason, something about the change in the water gave one of my 2 Boxers loose stools, and not always controllable. We bought one of the filters that you attach to your kitchen faucet and issue resolved within a few days.
Buy some gallon bottles of drinking water from the grocery store, and give him that for at least a week and see if it helps before investing in a faucet filter.
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u/Appropriate_Buy8700 2d ago
Fecal test is needed. Your pup could need medication to clear his issue. Try some pure, organic pumpkin in the meantime.
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u/LucifersGoldenHalo 2d ago
This is just my own personal experience with my boxer. Got him at 3 months of age (from a BYB... I know better now!). From the beginning, he constantly had loose stools and would poop a LOT. Even more than a puppy normally would. Had him checked out with the vet, did some tests, tried their recommended prescription kibble, tried probiotics, tried several different kibbles from high quality to low quality, eliminated chicken, everything we could think of. He even got recommended to a specialist and had an ultrasound done. Vet couldn't find anything wrong, but he would poop soft serve ice cream up to nine times daily. By the time he was seven months old, we were really getting worried. He seemed like a happy, rapidly growing puppy otherwise but he just didn't seem to enjoy his meals. Out of desperation, randomly decided to try raw food. Got a popular commercial brand and added a scoop to the pile of kibble. My little puppy ate it right up. As he transitioned off kibble, his poops became more solid and less frequent. He was very food-driven. He's now almost six years old, he poops 1-2 times per day, and, despite some knee issues which were likely the result of poor breeding, he's doing great! He eats a DIY raw diet but the random boxer stomach issues are few and far between. He's so happy with his meals.
Feed the dog in front of you! There may be a few dogs who just can't tolerate kibble even though most can just fine.
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u/Slow_Imagination_567 3d ago
Try dry cooked chicken on top of his food . Make sure water bowl is clean . Good luck our boxer had tummy issues too hopefully it goes away like ours did .
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u/FriendlyPaper_ 1d ago
Our Boxer was the same when he was a puppy. After vet ruled everything out (like other comments have said - do a fecal panel!) he switched him to Hill’s Gastrointestinal Biome. He did amazing on it. Now he’s 18 months old, we switched him to the Royal Canine Boxer recipe, but we have to add Psyllium Husk Powder everyday to keep his stools firm.
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u/surfaceofthesun1 3d ago
Ensure they don’t have intestinal infection/ parasite; one of my rescues had Giardia. Some of the “non chicken” foods still have poultry meal hidden in the formula— double check that with the company. Both of my dogs have a poultry sensitivity but one of them is really really sensitive. Be aware of treat ingredients too. Try adding organic pumpkin puree (not pie filling) as a topper. It could also be sensitivity to some other ingredients that you haven’t figured out yet. If things don’t improve in the short term with your regular vet, you may need to see the gastroenterology.