The Mystery of the Ghost Pooping Sheltie

Piper's mom said:
How is Benson doing today Margi? Any improvement? I hope your getting more sleep!
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Yesterday was a good day overall. I think we are getting close to finding the right "recipe" to help him be able to move things past the narrowing. The miralax on Saturday morning stayed down, so Sunday he was able to relieve himself, although he still poop walked the whole length of the yard and was straining. As Ann said, that broke the dam, and we had a bit more liquid than we would want with no control of his bowels. In the house. Sigh. Oh welll that was better than the alternative LOL He got a tsp of miralax yesterday too, and doc emailed me back to try a 1/2 tsp a day as the maintanence dose. So far today no runs, and though it kills me to watch him straining at least he is passing a soft plop every time, so I know the food soft enough. His behavior is back to old self pretty much. He doesn't seem to be in any pain.
Slippery elm should be here today. Will give him that later today.
 
I’m glad to hear he’s able to relieve himself. The liquid not so good but that will take time to get the right mix of food to achieve the softer poop. The slippery elm should help keep it from becoming too soft.
I usually give the slippery elm with a meal (I add it to a liquid first, usually to yogurt) and I would give 2/day. Fingers crossed that his prostate shrinks asap and you can get him back onto a normal diet!
 
Always something to learn here on SheltieNation!
I am sorry you and Benson are going through this, but I would never have guessed the cause.
hopefully the poop walk starts generating nice happy poops soon :) I always found it so ironic that soft serve poop was so welcome (after diarrhea) and only other dog owners understood. My mom is on miralax for ocassional constipation; she took too many once and it was VERY messy and tiring.
Gavin always circled, endlessly. But then my yard (and the complex potty area) wasn't long enough for much else!
 
Piper's mom said:
I’m glad to hear he’s able to relieve himself. The liquid not so good but that will take time to get the right mix of food to achieve the softer poop. The slippery elm should help keep it from becoming too soft.
I usually give the slippery elm with a meal (I add it to a liquid first, usually to yogurt) and I would give 2/day. Fingers crossed that his prostate shrinks asap and you can get him back onto a normal diet!
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Well the slippery elm came late yesterday afternoon and I just used the dropper and gave him a dose! He loved the taste, but I didn't give any food! There were absolutely no directions on this bottle, so I have to depend on you guys! I don't know what to give him now!

I am out there constantly checking the yard and cleaning up if necessary so I can track whats going on in case I don't witness the act. I am sick of talking about poop and worrying about poop and checking for poop. Dr Amy said the majority of her day is spent talking about poop LOL




Cindy said:
Always something to learn here on SheltieNation!
I am sorry you and Benson are going through this, but I would never have guessed the cause.
hopefully the poop walk starts generating nice happy poops soon :) I always found it so ironic that soft serve poop was so welcome (after diarrhea) and only other dog owners understood. My mom is on miralax for ocassional constipation; she took too many once and it was VERY messy and tiring.
Gavin always circled, endlessly. But then my yard (and the complex potty area) wasn't long enough for much else!
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Thanks--I figured there were other folks that had never heard of this and I hoped it would help to tuck away that knowledge nugget just in case!
Soft serve poop--yup thats exactly what I'm looking for! And so far that's what we have today, although I think he had a ghost poop--which is exactly NOT what I want...
 
Margi said:
Well the slippery elm came late yesterday afternoon and I just used the dropper and gave him a dose! He loved the taste, but I didn't give any food! There were absolutely no directions on this bottle, so I have to depend on you guys! I don't know what to give him now!

I am out there constantly checking the yard and cleaning up if necessary so I can track whats going on in case I don't witness the act. I am sick of talking about poop and worrying about poop and checking for poop. Dr Amy said the majority of her day is spent talking about poop LOL






Thanks--I figured there were other folks that had never heard of this and I hoped it would help to tuck away that knowledge nugget just in case!
Soft serve poop--yup thats exactly what I'm looking for! And so far that's what we have today, although I think he had a ghost poop--which is exactly NOT what I want...
Click to expand...
I give with food because I’d read that for bowel problems to give with and for stomach issues to give prior (I’m thinking the slippery elm coats the empty stomach and helps to prevent the food from coming back up). Either or I don’t think it matters much, the fact he likes it and it appears to be working how you did it is great!

here’s another article on the use with a bit different info, this from the Whole dog journal website (I like them).
https://www.whole-dog-journal.com/care/slippery-elm-for-dogs-safely-treat-irritation/
 
I don't give slippery elm with food, although you can. Most homeopathics work best separate from food, although slippery elm is an exception and can actually be added to food. I think you're fine doing it either way. Is he on a probiotic? If he isn't, I'd recommend Purina's Fortiflora. I like these tablets, they're chewable and you just drop one each day in their food. It's the strongest probio around for gastro issues and what the vets recommend. Checkers lives on it every day. You can get it both on Chewy and Amazon.
 
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