# Stool changes throughout the day



## alzo (Apr 4, 2010)

Normally my Beagle's first two stools of the day are pretty firm. But as the day goes on, his stools get progressively softer. By around 7:00pm, his stool is extremely soft. But then the next morning it is fine again. What might cause this variation throughout the day? I would think if his food didn't agree with him, his stool would be too soft all the time. He is on Innova Puppy food, about 1 cup twice per day. We've cut out any treats for now, so he is just eating his food and water.


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

This is indicative of too much food. Two cups of food per day sounds like a lot for a beagle. How much does he weigh?


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## bdb5853 (May 21, 2010)

How many stools a day is he having? 

I agree with the above poster. 2 cups is a LOT of food for a puppy.


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## alzo (Apr 4, 2010)

He is about 14 weeks old and weighs about 17 pounds. I was basing his food amount on the calculator Natura has at their website. Their calculator is very specific for which food, the dog's age, and the dog's weight. I feed him at 6:00am and 6:00pm. He usually poops 4-5 times a day.


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

I would cut back on food. Even though that calculator is specific for weight and age and food type, it's not specific for the breed or the activity level which are just as important as the other facts. I would cut him back to 1 1/3 cup per day and go from there. I know that seems like a lot less food but feed that much for a couple of days and see how he does. Of course if you notice him getting boney increase his food but only a little bit. Make gradual changes to the amount of food.


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## alzo (Apr 4, 2010)

I'll give it a try. Thanks for the input.


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## sal101011 (Jan 17, 2010)

danemama08 said:


> I would cut back on food. Even though that calculator is specific for weight and age and food type, it's not specific for the breed or the activity level which are just as important as the other facts. I would cut him back to 1 1/3 cup per day and go from there. I know that seems like a lot less food but feed that much for a couple of days and see how he does. Of course if you notice him getting boney increase his food but only a little bit. Make gradual changes to the amount of food.



great suggesstion! definitely this seems like a cause of over-feeding. i never go by the feeding guideline the manufacturer has, as said above it has a lot to do with the breed and activity level. does he look overweight? innova puppy is a high calorie food, if he does not look over weight dont forget to check his stool for worms.


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## alzo (Apr 4, 2010)

He doesn't look overweight, but he is growing like a weed. The vet checked his stool sample and it came back "clean".


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

If you can, not sure of your schedule I'd go for 1 1/3 cup over three feedings for such a young dog.


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## alzo (Apr 4, 2010)

Is there a recommended kcal/day ? The Innova Puppy Dry is 454 kcal/cup.


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## buddy97 (Mar 29, 2010)

alzo said:


> Is there a recommended kcal/day ? The Innova Puppy Dry is 454 kcal/cup.


you could try this calculator (you have to make sure on the second page to select a lifestyle category as well as a drop down box to the right). ive used it for my 2 dogs just to see how close it was to their current caloric intake. it wasnt too far off. 

still, its still just a tool and there is no way it can determine better than the owner how much food their dog needs based on body condition.

Find Dog Calories - From this unique Dog Calorie Calculator


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## alzo (Apr 4, 2010)

That's strange. That calculator says my dog should need about 978 kcal/day, but then goes on to say that equates to only 1 cup per day. Natura says Innova puppy has only 454 kcal/cup.


Well, in any event, I have already cut back a bit on the amount I am feeding him. I will see how he does and adjust from there.


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## maggie's mom (Jul 2, 2009)

I have a beagle also. I can't remember how much food she got as a pup but I do remember it was divided into 3 feedings. As an adult she gets 1/2 cup twice a day and seems to maintain a good weight on that amount.


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## alzo (Apr 4, 2010)

What is it about pumpkin that firms up a dog's stool so effectively?


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

Insoluble fiber. Basically adds bulk to their stool to firm it up.


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## alzo (Apr 4, 2010)

That's what I thought, but I was surprised the canned pumpkin is only about 1% fiber.


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## snowygirl (Oct 12, 2009)

As recommended by others, I'd say see how your little guy does after cutting back on portions for a while. If he is still having issues, I'd advise another fecal test. My dog had exactly the same problem a few months back and the fecal revealed coccidia (single-celled intestinal parasites), which aren't always present in each stool sample (sneaky little buggers). Good luck, runny poops are not fun for anyone!


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

alzo said:


> That's what I thought, but I was surprised the canned pumpkin is only about 1% fiber.


But the nutritional analysis is for human consumption not canine consumption. So that 1% affects dogs differently than it does us. I'm not sure how it does compare, but I would say that since dogs have absolutely no need for fiber in the slightest bit that it affects them more substantially than it does us since we have a nutritional need for fiber.


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## RawFedDogs (Jun 16, 2008)

alzo said:


> What is it about pumpkin that firms up a dog's stool so effectively?


It absorbs moisture.


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## alzo (Apr 4, 2010)

Well, I've used up the first can of pumpkin, so I'll see how he does on just the smaller portion now. I've backed him off to between 1.25 and 1.5 cups per day. Unfortunately I can't split that between three feedings. We can only do two feedings per day.


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## ghostrunner (Mar 24, 2010)

alzo said:


> That's strange. That calculator says my dog should need about 978 kcal/day, but then goes on to say that equates to only 1 cup per day. Natura says Innova puppy has only 454 kcal/cup.
> 
> 
> I had a similar issue come up when I put in my dog's weight/age. I think the discrepancy has to do with how "cup" is defined. The site defines it as 8oz. But according to my kitchen scale, one cup (by volume) of California Natural (which is what I feed) is 3.04 oz. Thoughts?


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## alzo (Apr 4, 2010)

I think they are just referring to the normal measuring cup most people have in their kitchens. But you are right...that does not take the density of the food into account, or the size/shape of the kibble.


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