Hi, was hoping someone can help with this. I have had my springer spaniel for just over a year and he always seems happy and healthy in himself but has a reoccuring problem with soft stools. We tried every brand of food going and would swap when the problem arose each time. He was on chappie as the vet recommended it back in feb and he seems to of been ok until a week ago, his stool starts off fine and firm but by the end of it its soft (not runny) never has blood but does often have mucas, i have now stopped giving him raw hides as heard they can often make problem worse, everytime i put him onto chicken and rice (homemade) he firms up straight away so he is on this currently. We have just changed shifts at work and he is now home alone for 4 hours where he usually had company all day so not sure if this has been part of it. Can anyone advise me how to get on top of this random ongoing problem and what to try etc....he seems as happy and very lively as ever and it only seems to be a problem for me as i clean it up.
Thanks

changing the food at lot could have been causing the problem,

is there any chance that he is eating or drinking anything that he shouldn't?mines a terror for drinking staggment water in the garden which always gives him a bad tummy,

Also is he toliet fully toliet trainned or having accidents while you are out?

Hi and thanks for reply, he is fully house trained and never has accidents, when it happens its soft but never any worse, he doesnt get to stagment water but he does go off lead everyday onto a school field to run so he may pick up things there but not that we can see, i have spoken to 2 vets who give different advice so thought i might be better talking to dog owners who have had similar problems or experienced (1 said not to worry and the other said will do lots of tests) is it worth trying a hypoallergenic?

I would try keeping him on a long lead in the feild for a week or two, in case hes eating things there, i.e. bunny poo or something. If his tummy is ok in that time you can rule that out. He might have a food allergy, is there wheat in any food/ treats you are giving - that gives mine terriable gas!!!

The lead idea sounds good as he does have free run at the mo, hes been on chappie so i presume that has wheat in it and he has the everyday dog biscuits as treats so they probably do too. hes been on rice and chicken for last day and a half and hes just had a firm poo!!! hooray!! gas can be a smelly problem , again thanks

Has he been propaly wormed as mucus in poo can be a sign of a infection.I would feed a quality dry diet,as wet food has a very high water content,which in turn could produce wet poos!

Hes been regularly wormed and i did it again about 3 weeks ago with one from the vet but someone has suggested panacur(?) and hes upto date with frontline, hope that helps

Try to get him settled just onto one food which will help with his tum, springers are not the easiest to get settled onto a food I know as I have welsh springers and one of those went through the runny poo stage I settled him in the end on a german shepherd food and havent had a problem since.
Raw hide is one of the biggest probs of tummy upset as are pigs ears in some dogs, tree bark powder is a good thing to put on food and can be got from Dorwest Herbs.

HTH

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After looking at alot of foods i think im going to try Arden Grange as its hypoallergenic and i can get this local to me, the rawhides are binned, does anyone know any healthy treats i can give if im trying hypoallergenic?
I wont be changing food unless he reacts very badly, fingers crossed

mine loves non-salted rice cakes and ice cubes