My 4-month-old puppy has soft poop. How can I safely make it firm?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! You can make sure that there is enough fiber in his diet. You can add canned pumpkin to add fiber to his diet which may help firm up his stools. You can add 1 tablespoon of canned pumpkin to his meals. You can also add probiotics such as Fortiflora. Best of luck!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Soft stools can be normal as they transition from formula to kibble or canned food. If she is otherwise doing well, this may be ok. If it ever becomes consistent diarrhea, have her evaluated by a veterinarian before her scheduled appointment. Keep in mind that it may be best to continue the formula until she is 6 weeks old. Best of luck!

Probiotics wouldn't hurt. You can get them from your vet or use plain yogurt (not sugar free or flavored) to add some to her meal. You can also use a little canned pumpkin to add some fiber. However if the soft stool continues, a fecal exam to rule out any issues such as parasites or GI upset is best.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding your puppy. Diet and parasites are the most common causes of loose stool in young puppies. If his stool is clear of any parasitic, bacterial or viral infection, then I would consider a new diet. I would consider a sensitive stomach formula such as Purina ProPlan Sensitive Skin and Stomach. Gradually transition to the new food over 5 or so days. If this does not help within 2 weeks, then you may want to consider a prescription low fat and highly digestible diet from his veterinarian. I hope this information helps!

Soft stool has multiple causes. It may be gastrointestinal upset or inflammation, intestinal parasites or due to dietary indiscretions just to name a few. As long as Remy is acting normally, you don't necessarily need to take him to your veterinarian. You should submit a stool sample though to diagnose intestinal parasites. Try withholding food for 24 hours. Allow small amounts of water or unflavored PediaLyte. Resume feeding a bland diet in small, frequent amounts until the stool is normal then transition slowly to his regular diet. If the soft stool does not resolve or if Remy develops lethargy, loss of appetite, abdominal pain or vomiting them have him examined by your veterinarian.

Hello, I would recommend picking up some probiotics from your vet to help repopulate his gut with good bacteria. Common ones are called Fortiflora and Proviable, but there are other fine brands as well. Also ensure that Chicharon has been dewormed recently. Most areas recommend giving puppies general deworrmer every two weeks during the first four months of life. You can also pick up some prescription canned gastrointestinal food from your vet made to be easy on the belly. Plain rice and pumpkin are also fine choices though. A bit of loose stool is common for dogs in a stressful situation, such as moving to a new home, so this may be a short lived situation. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Congrats on your new pup Chicharon.

This does sound like a colitis, which can be due to an abrupt diet change, but it's also possibly due to something else like and infection or toxin ingestion. I think it would be worthwhile to switch to the Pedigree and see if that helps. If that helps, but you want to switch him to the Iams in the future, then you can try doing it again slowly. Below is a link to a good article that explains how to do this. https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-transition-your-dog-or-cat-to-a-new-food/ If the pedigree doesn't work, then you can try feeding bland food (boneless chicken and rice is good). Feed small portions (1/2 cup or less) three times a day. You can also add probiotics to the food (can get this at the pet store), which has demonstrated some efficacy for improving diarrhea. Ensure fresh, clean water is always available. Diarrhea is a common problem with puppies and is usually self-limiting (will go away on its own). It may not be serious right now, but it's always possible that it could be the start of something serious. If Gizmo has any of the following, then he should see a vet: 1) Blood in diarrhea 2) Very watery diarrhea 3) Starts acting very depressed 4) Stops eating or drinking for longer than 24 hours. 5) Diarrhea lasts longer than three days. I hope this helps and Gizmo gets better soon.