Water ?!?!?

[Jennifer]

Ok this is going to prove just how neurotic and anal I am about my dogs and their bowels. It’s embarrassing really but here goes. Hunter has dodgy bowels this morning. He went after his tea last night ok. I let him out for a wee 4.30am he was fine. Had a wee back in crate. (That was actually late i usually let him out about 3am.) I got up 5.30am let Hunter out 5.45am. He went no urgency all was ok then he had to go another two times straight after each other which was very, very soft. This will sound ridiculous but I’m wondering if it could be tap water !!! The breeder suggested I give him boiled water for a few days when I first brought him home. Me being me I’ve continued to give him boiled water. I can’t explain why just incase I suppose. Yesterday my kettle blew up so from teatime he had tap water. I think he only had two drinks of it but the first drink he had after he’d eaten he really wasn’t sure about it and kept stopping and looking at the water. Obviously there are many other things it could be. He’s forever picking things up, chewing leaves, the farmer yesterday gave him a bit of a schmaco which he doesn’t have, he licks people, stress of meeting the dog yesterday, I could go on, this is how my neurotic brain works but the most obvious has to be the water but surely that’s ridiculous. I should add there’s nothing wrong with our tap water it is normal clean drinking water. I borrowed my auntie’s kettle so he’s got boiled water now just incase

 

[JES72]

I wonder why the breader gave them boiled water. Maybe this has delayed his imune system coping with a wider range of bacteria. I'd go back to the boiled water to see if that helps settle things then add a bit of tap water to the boiled water, a little more each time.

 

[SwampDonkey]

I dont think it's the tap water. Puppies are always like this. At least once you get the squirts in the early days. I keep prokolin in at all times. The only time you need to get stressed is if they seem listless they get dehydrated fast. It could be absolutely anything even stress of a new environment. If you are worried speak to your vet.

 

[Stacia]

Good advice from @SwampDonkey. I remember from way back, a breeder did say to use bottled water for a few days and then go onto own water.

 

[HAH]

Also @Jennifer (and everyone else!) - it’s entirely normal to be hyper-cautious or anxious with our pups at times - especially when they’re little and the responsibility weighs heavy! So no apologies needed, and keep firing the questions as you have them or simply sharing. This is what this excellent forum’s here for and you know we love poo talk

 

[Atemas]

Agree with @SwampDonkey. Red had a whole heap of digestive issues as a puppy. Pro Kolin was my best friend . Also Hill’s ID wet food for a period of time. At the time I was neurotic about her bowels and couldn’t bear her having tummy upsets. She gradually grew out of it as she became a bigger puppy and all those issues went away

 

[Jennifer]

Thank you all for your advice and experience it is very much appreciated.

@JES72 The breeder suggested boiling the water for a few days because of all the other things that can cause an upset tummy in very young pups going to their new home.
@SwampDonkey @Atemas I have prokolin in stock. With all my other dogs I kept it ready I don’t know why I didn’t think to give him a dose this morning. I’ll wait to see what happens next and dose him up if necessary. He’s definitely not listless he’s just been humping his favourite blanket.

 

[Selina27]

I dont think it's the tap water. Puppies are always like this. At least once you get the squirts in the early days. I keep prokolin in at all times. The only time you need to get stressed is if they seem listless they get dehydrated fast. It could be absolutely anything even stress of a new environment. If you are worried speak to your vet.

Agree with this.

@Jennifer , I see the sense in the boiled water advice when they change homes. But now like you say he's testing everything through his mouth anyway, which is normal as you know, I myself wouldn't stress over him having only boiled water.

 

[Jennifer]

Just got my new kettle so at least I can have boiling water ie a cup of tea . I agree @Selina27 thank you. Apart from anything else it’s not practical him only drinking boiled water. I don’t know why I’ve kept doing it except did I mention I‘m neurotic.

 

[Kelsey]

Don’t worry, I’m also hesitant to put Hugo on tap water. But I did finally transition him from bottled spring water to filtered tap water, so I’m getting there I have PTSD from his bad diarrhea

 

[Jennifer]

Hopefully not about to speak too soon but I’m pleased to report firmness has been restored this morning. In fact it was 24 hours before he went again. When we got to bedtime and he hadn’t been I was expecting being woken up but no and he wasn’t desperate when we went out first thing. Hunter generally goes three times a day. I guess yesterday he decided to get it all done in one sitting.

 

[Selina27]

firmness has been restored this morning.

 

[Loraseal]

Glad to know firmness is back and restored.
I found the change of the season seemed to upset my Hunter's tummy. I honestly would never think of giving bolied water! Mine only gets the bottled vintage stuff when travelling on holiday! They do love to investigate with their mouths and can be utterly and thoroughly disgusting in the process.

 

[Jennifer]

@Loraseal Maybe we made a rod for our own backs. Hunter by name hunter by nature.

 

[SwampDonkey]

@Loraseal Maybe we made a rod for our own backs. Hunter by name hunter by nature.

Enjoyed him, stop over thinking. They are small for such a short time. Seeing the world through their puppy eyes is the best. Praise him for everything cuddle him loads and enjoy forgetting everything except being new again

 

[Jennifer]

@SwampDonkey Very wise words and very true. Thank you.

 

[Candy]

Enjoyed him, stop over thinking. They are small for such a short time. Seeing the world through their puppy eyes is the best. Praise him for everything cuddle him loads and enjoy forgetting everything except being new again

Excellent advice!

 

[Jennifer]

You were right it wasn’t the water. Yesterday the exact same thing happened. First thing in the morning he went three times one after another getting progressively softer ending very soft except this time I saw why. I did wonder last week if this could’ve been the reason but I missed it in the dark. I call it a grass incident. Some of you if not all of you can probably guess what I mean. You know when your dog eats a long piece of grass which then gets stuck on the way out so they basically have to force it out ? Well it was similar to that except no grass involved. Sometimes Hunter decides he’s finished going and starts moving away when he hasn’t quite finished. He then, like all dogs I’ve known, panics, reassumes the position which causes him to go again only yesterday and last week he ended up going twice more. In effect he dumps his whole days load at once. He did go againlast night at about 7.30 and he was back to normal. Mystery solved hopefully she says fingers crossed and touching wood.