Dog eating own poop after switching from kibble to whole foods

[JenniferC]

I switched Bud, 15 year old Dachshund, to a whole food diet. I am preparing his meals (cooked meat and veggies and grain with raw organ meat) and when I do not have anything prepared (not very often) with a refrigerated fresh pet food. He was overweight and lost weight rapidly on the diet. I was concerned he lost too much weight so I increased the amount I was feeding him and added more grains. He has gained a little weight and I think he is a good size now but he is eating poop (his own and I assume our other dog's). Is that an indication that he is not getting enough calories and I should increase the amount of his food? Is he missing some minerals and/or vitamins and I should be adding a supplement to the food? Or both? The poop is a much smaller amount than when feeding kibble and isn't as odorous, which I have read are normal for a whole food diet but I don't think he should be eating it..... Other than being blind and missing some teeth, he has no other health problems.

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Hi Jennifer.

Fantastic that you have gotten Bud onto a whole food diet.

If his weight, coat, BEAM (Behavior, Energy, Appetite, Mood) etc. all look good then you're feeding enough calories.

When did you switch his diet from kibble to fresh food?

Yes, it is normal for his stools to be smaller and less stinky than when he was eating kibble.

Does he get a probiotic?

Which grains and how much of them does he get?

 

[JenniferC]

He has been on it for about two months. I add yogurt to his meals a couple of times a week but do not give a probiotic. Oatmeal and rice are the primary grains. He gets about 1/4 c in each meal (2x/day). His BEAM is good now. He was sluggish until I increased the calories but is back to normal. I was wondering about Phosphorous. Is it in fact tricky to get the right Phosphorus and Calcium balance with homemade meals. Could that be an issue?

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Thanks for your reply Jennifer.

Nope, it's unlikely that the mineral ratio in his new food is the issue.

However, in the long run it's essential to supplement any meat-based diet with calcium unless the meat you are using contains bone. Fortunately, it's not too tricky to increase calcium enough in a raw or homemade diet,

Just add a calcium supplement like Eggshellent calcium or Animal Essentials seaweed calcium. Use the recommended amount on the bottles which is based on the amount of meat.

EggShellent Calcium 16oz | My Pets Friend

High Potency, Bioavailable, Calcium from Eggshells

www.mypetsfriend.com

Also, try adding Answer's Raw Goat's milk to his diet. It is a fermented food with awe-some benefits to bowels and for stool eaing.

 

[JenniferC]

Thank you! I am also feeding whole foods to my 10 month old dog. She eats raw bones as part of her diet so I am assuming she gets enough calcium and I do not need to supplement. Is that a correct assumption?

 

[Dr. Jeff]

You're welcome Jennifer!

Are the bones ground as part of the food, or are they marrow and other whole bones?

 

[Dr. Jean Hofve]

Hi Jennifer, my rule of thumb for calcium is 1 heaping TBSP per pound of meat, which I got from Pitcairn. I use Standard Process Calcium Lactate but any good calcium powder should work.

Are you adding digestive enzymes to his food? I wonder if he is not breaking it down completely and is therefore trying to "recycle" some of the nutrients he didn't absorb the first time around.

Then again, some dogs just love to eat poop. It's an unpleasant habit, but not harmful (unless the source dog is being medicated!). ;-)