Hi
I'm new to the forum - my name is Lisa and Henry is my 3 year old Westie. He is a lovely dog (laying at my feet as I type this!!) but have a problem with him that is driving me mad.

He does incredibly runny poos.............

When I walk him he obviously poos - but he keeps on pooing! His first two poos are solid and no problem but then his poos get more and more runny until they are just water. This makes him difficult to walk in public places, which is a real shame as he loves to be out and about. I
have to take him across the fields etc to exercise him

I have spoken at length to the vet - they have tested his poo and it is fine, no parasites or bacteria to cause any infections. He also poos in the garden and they are solid.

He never has diarrhoea at home or messes in the house.
The vet wondered if it maybe it is a dominance thing.
He is still intact (because he was never agressive or exhibited any dominant/sexual behaviour I didn't castrate him) and the vet wondered if he was using his poo as a scent marking when he has run out of wee.......

His only option was to castrate him - but felt he couldn't guarentee this would work as his in now 3. I am reluctant to do this as I worry that if I do his personality may change and it seems a shame to submit him
to an anasthetic without real cause or guarentee that it would work and of course the cost implications.

I have tried a range of foods including breed specific brands but nothing seems to help or make and difference. I only feed him dry food and he drinks water - he has a dental chew every day.

Do you have any ideas as to what to do about his awful poos - it makes it so difficult to take him out and about as obviously he gets into an awful mess down his legs etc and the runny ones are impossible to clear
up!

I have asked around my doggy friends but no one has encountered this

Thanks a lot for reading!!

I would try him on nature diet lamb - introduce it gradually and give it a couple of weeks - if you telephone them they will send you out some samples.
Welcome by the way
regards
DT

A few weeks ago we had a similar question and the poster told us all about the food she was feeding, she got all the advice that we could give, I then discovered from a different thread that she was giving all sorts of things for reward treats that she had not mentioned in her original post.
Is this is the case with you? If not nature diet is very good but our Chessie who has similar problems is on tinned Chappie

__________________
I work my life around my dog, not my dog around my life

No I don't give him extras - we have two cats but feed them separately and try to keep him away from their food.

I feel really frustrated with the problem as there seems no obvious answer.

Is the nature lamb diet mentioned a wet or dry food?

Appreciate all your help!!
thanks Lisa

I haven't had those problems. Does he by any chance get to the cats poo? That could cause a problem. Science Diet has different prescription food. May you vet could try him on one that could help or at least see it it makes any difference. Maybe take him to an allergist. He could have a food allergy that causes the problem.

My Glen of Imaal sometimes gets this. The vet, his breeder and my not so experienced mother put it down to 'excitement'.

First poop - 100% normal. Second, usually normal, sometimes a bit 'wet' at the end. Any subsequent, a high chance of 'runny'. Only ever on walks (never at home), and usually only on unusual walks - it is rare on our normal, every day walks, just week-end walks that we drive to.

Personally? I think it is stress and he isn't quite the confident, laid back dog he seems.

It is a b'stard to clean up - I always take kitchen towel with me. But doesn't seem to bother him. We live with it.