# How much Pumpkin'



## chias4me (Aug 30, 2009)

Hi all.....Mo has been having loose stools the past two days and I believe that it is where I have tried him on a couple of different brands of puppy food. He wasn't on a good brand when I got him (Bil-Jac) so I was trying to find him something nutritious. How long should I give him the pumpkin to stop the diarrhea?


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## huskyluv (Oct 24, 2008)

Pumpkin is not bad for them and can be given daily without harm. Obviously you are trying to find something that agrees with your pup so adding a little pumpkin until you find a food that doesn't upset him should be okay. Just be sure that you're adding pumpkin and not substituting it for puppy food. If the diarrhea is lasting a while I would be a little concerned and talk to your vet to make sure it isn't something other than food.

Was he doing okay on Bil-Jac? If he was okay on that you might slowly transition him from that to something else that doesn't upset his stomach.


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## huskyluv (Oct 24, 2008)

Okay, I'm going to cross post this since they are related and I didn't see your other thread until after my first post in this thread.



huskyluv said:


> Puppies generally do need more protein than adults for growing. But an important thing to remember is that the source of the protein is more important than the percent. For example, meat based protein is better and easier to digest and utilize than plant based proteins. I.e. 30% protein from a plant like soy or corn is nowhere near as good or useful for a dog as 30% protein from animal meat and organs like chicken or lamb liver...yet they both have the same percentage.  Taste of the Wild is an all life stages food and is fine for your puppy.
> 
> From your other threads, it seems that you've only had this pup for a few days now and you've said that he's had diarrhea for two days. Your pup could be having diarrhea related to stress, something medical or the food. I would recommend waiting a week or two for your new puppy to adjust before switching his food. And when you do start switching to do it slowly. I know Bil-Jac is not a very good food but to minimize the stress on your pup I would recommend sticking with it for just a week or two and making changes like that slowly.


And now that I've re-read this thread I am concerned that you say you've tried several different puppy foods on your new puppy that you've only had for 3 days? I would definitely stick with the Bil-Jac for at least a week, despite that it's not that great a food, your pup will survive and it's only for a week or two. After a week or two I would introduce one new food at a time and slowly so as not to upset the poor thing's tummy. His world has turned upside down completely since leaving his old home, his mom, littermates, everything familiar, give him time to adjust.


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## chias4me (Aug 30, 2009)

When I got him home, he totally refused to eat the Bil-Jac. I gave him some Taste of the Wild but it has 32% protein in it and I figured that was too much for a 10 wk old pup. I have him eating, since yesterday, Eagle Pack Holistic Select for small/medium breed puppies and adults. It has 24% protein in it and he likes it. For dinner this evening, I gave him a 1/2tdp of pumpkin with his dry food..he gobbled it up. I just wasn't sure how long to give it too him.


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## huskyluv (Oct 24, 2008)

Was he eating the Bil-Jac before you brought him home? How much time did you give him to start eating? My chi didn't eat the first day we brought her home either, she was shy and scared naturally. The next day she ate just a tiny bit, and each day after she ate a little more as she became more relaxed and comfortable in her new surroundings. Took about a week to get a normal appetite out of her, but each chi is different.  

You know your own chi and have to make judgment calls and switching his food is fine but I would advise sticking to one thing at a time. Pick either Eagle Pack or TOTW but I wouldn't give both just to keep things simple. Taste of the Wild is fine for your pup, again the percentage of protein is not as important as the source. Either one will do though.

I hope his tummy gets better soon!


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## chias4me (Aug 30, 2009)

When I went to feed him, he turned away from the Bil-Jac but tried to eat my Pug's food. Even today if I put down one morsel of the Bil, he turns away. The Bil-Jac is what he supposedly was eating at the breeders. Anyway, yesterday and today he has been eating the Eagle Pack brand only. He is very playful, hasn't been throwing up or anything like that. Hopefully, his little tummy & bowels will get straightened out soon.


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## TashaZ (Mar 20, 2009)

have you tried a little boiled chicken?? whenever stools are loose in my house we bring out the boiled chicken and mashed pumpkin.

I feed Pebbles Pumpkin most days, about a tablespoon mixed with her ZP food. I also put plain yoghurt on a teaspoon and let them both lick it off (so they get about half a teaspoon each) maybe every 3 days or so. Ever since they've been eating like this, their stools are PERFECT!


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## TashaZ (Mar 20, 2009)

sorry i should have read all the posts first.

there's nothing wrong with pumpkin every day just as long as you're mixing it in. Pebbles won't her her food without something mixed in so i vary it. I put a tablespoon but Pebbles is a year old so maybe half it for your little guy. good luck


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## chias4me (Aug 30, 2009)

Thanks to you both for the replies. I think he likes the Eagle Pack so that is what he will get and hopefully his bowels/tummy will improve over the next couple of days.


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## Yoshismom (Jul 6, 2005)

Please remember that you need to add it slowly...

Also keep in mind that Pumpkin can also cause loose bowels as well, so you need to make sure that you are giving the right amount for you Chi. Do not variate in the amount given, if the amount you are giving now is hardening his stool then stick with that amount ;-)


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## chias4me (Aug 30, 2009)

Just an update...Mo's poops are starting to get firmer. So I guess his tummy is getting use to the new food and the pumpkin is helping


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## huskyluv (Oct 24, 2008)

Yay! That's excellent news! Thanks for the update, hope she only continues to improve.


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## pigeonsheep (Nov 8, 2008)

not to intrude but where in the world do u find the pumpkin mix? my supermarket only carries the pie one. i went on every aisle today looking like a hawk for it. lol  no luck. all i brought home was honey nut cheerios for me


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## TashaZ (Mar 20, 2009)

LOL you're so funny. i love going out to buy one thing and end up coming back with something else yummier 

I can never find canned pumpkin either!!! i just buy half a fresh pumpkin, cut it in small cubes, microwave it in water until soft and mash it with a fork. Pebbles knows when i'm doing this and she sits by my side waiting


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## pigeonsheep (Nov 8, 2008)

TashaZ said:


> LOL you're so funny. i love going out to buy one thing and end up coming back with something else yummier
> 
> I can never find canned pumpkin either!!! i just buy half a fresh pumpkin, cut it in small cubes, microwave it in water until soft and mash it with a fork. Pebbles knows when i'm doing this and she sits by my side waiting


hehehe! it always happens  i got a box of sugar as well :x my house hasnt had sugar in it for about 8 years now, my mom is too healthy when it comes to eating. where would i get a fresh pumpkin! LOL. my mom was talking about doing that as well. i know when halloween comes there's a buttload but besides that day i dont see it...unless at a farm maybe? o_o; oooh cubes of pumpkins sounds yummy! ^^


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## chias4me (Aug 30, 2009)

Well, I thought Mo was on the road to recovery because his stool was starting to firm up a little yesterday but since 2:45 this morning (and it's 7:20 am now) he has went 3 times and all those times it has been very runny. I guess I'm off to the vet's to find out the problem.


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## chloeandoscar (Aug 22, 2009)

I have had chloe for 2 weeks tommorow and her poo has just stopped being runny. I took her to the vets and he said it was normal, she is on the same food as her breeder gave her so i was a little worried. He said its normal when you have a change of enviroment. Her tummy was also very bloaty but has gone right down now. 

It may just be a change of enviroment, stick at the same food for a while..


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## huskyluv (Oct 24, 2008)

pigeonsheep said:


> not to intrude but where in the world do u find the pumpkin mix? my supermarket only carries the pie one. i went on every aisle today looking like a hawk for it. lol  no luck. all i brought home was honey nut cheerios for me


I buy my canned pumpkin (the pure pumpkin not pie filling) at Wal-Mart in the baking goods aisle. However all my Wal-Marts only carry the huge cans which may not be convenient especially for a small dog. You can find it easily at your local grocery store in the baking aisle and you're more likely to find the smaller cans there. I have noticed that not all Wal-Marts sell the pure canned pumpkin while almost all of them do sell the canned pumpkin pie filling. Be sure to read the labels.  Try other supermarkets and grocery stores for the canned pumpkin, if they carry it, it will be right next to the cans of pumpkin pie filling. I know people have a very difficult time finding it in the UK, but we generally don't have that problem here in the US.


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