Which foods are better for firming stools ? I currently feed my dog grandma lucys artisan venison which has mainly potatoes, carrots, banana, pumpkin and other fruits and veggies to go with venison. I wonder if quinoa would be better than potatoes and carrots combination, or should I try another protein. I have already tried plenty of kibble options. I am looking for advice on ingredients. Pet's info: Dog | Cavalier King Charles Spaniel | Male | unneutered | 10 months and 6 days old | 15 lbs

The ingredients in the diet you are currently feeding are fine and quinoa would not be more beneficial than potatoes or carrots unless there was a known issue with them. I see Luca's stool in the pictures and they are definitely loose. It also appears that he is straining to defecate. Without knowing more, I'm suspicious that there is a problem in the colon causing him to have diarrhea. This could be an infection, or an inflammatory bowel disease. Infection is a common cause of diarrhea in younger dogs. Either way, it's best to have him evaluated by your vet, because I'm not sure that a diet change will help his current condition. A vet can test his stool ( make sure to take a fresh sample with you) and possibly do other testing to help identify the cause. Once the cause of this is identified, the correct treatment and diet can be advised. You can help him get through this by feeding bland food (boneless chicken and rice is good). Feed small portions (1/2 cup or less) three times a day. You can also add probiotics to the food (can get this at the pet store), which has demonstrated some efficacy for improving diarrhea. Ensure fresh, clean water is always available. I hope this helps and Luca gets better soon.

Hello, sorry to hear about Chester's GI issues. It sounds like your veterinarian may be treating him for inflammatory bowel disease which seems to respond to a hydrolyzed protein limited ingredient diet and potentially antibiotics if the power he was taking was Tylan Powder. You can theoretically try another brand of hydrolyzed protein limited ingredient diet and see if his stools maintain its form, however, the risk is that Chester may develop loose stools again. I would buy a small bag of the new dog food you wish to try so that if his stools become abnormal on this diet you don't have to waste a lot of food or money. Hope this helps and best of luck.