Pax recently had a spout of giardia. While he had it, we had to switch his diet a few times. First, he was eating chicken and rice with his medication and a probiotic. Once we saw he was starting to feel better, we switched him back to his my ollie. It’s essential to change their food gradually- and even then there may be some tummy issues. It’s common for dogs to struggle with a bout of diarrhea and then to constipation. When it comes to constipation here are some signs to look for: 1) straining to go to the bathroom 2)scooting on their booty 3)hard or dry stool 4) not going to the bathroom for several days.

A few recommendations that our vet gave us were to feed Pax 1-2 TBS of canned pumpkin & 1-2 TBS of low-fat Keifer. It was also recommended to bake a pumpkin loaf or bread that is dog-friendly. I found a couple recipes and put one together.

Pumpkin Puppy Ball Ingredients:

½ cup pumpkin puree (canned pumpkin NOT pumpkin pie mix)
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup quick cook oats
1 Tbsp. Coconut oil
1 egg
½ tsp. Vanilla
1 Tbsp. honey
¼ cup Greek yogurt
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1 tsp. Ginger
¼ cup water

Pumpkin Puppy Ball Directions:

Preheat oven 350° F.
Lightly grease or spray the cookie sheet (we lined foil on the sheet)
Place oats in blender or food processor and pulse until oats are about half powder.
Then place all remaining items from the list in a large bowl and mix together.
Grab spoonfuls from the ball and roll the dough into a ball.
Sprinkle oatmeal on top of each pumpkin ball to add crunch.
Bake for 15-16 minutes until tops are golden brown.

When muffins have cooled store in the refrigerator for up to a week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Check out this article by the AKC on dog constipation and support they need.

https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/dog-constipation/