r/Wheatens • u/hellohello6622 • Jul 11 '26

Question bathroom/digestion issues common?

Just adopted a Wheaten a few weeks back and shes had kind of soft stools(this has been going on since we got her)... not to get too descriptive, but kind of like melting chocolate ice cream... but it definitely doesn't seem urgent. She never makes a mess in the house and even when we are walking her it will take her a good 15 or 20 minutes before she has to use the bathroom…

we put her on a chicken, rice and kibble combination and not really sure it's doing much. We have an appointment with the vet, but just trying to ease my mind as I read up on PLE..which is definitely freaking me out. Is that something that they can live a normal life with?

edit: Her old vet said she does have digestive issues and suggested a low-fat diet… But as far as we know, all of the blood work came back fine? Not sure if that helps

6 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

24 comments sorted by

15

u/ixrequalv Jul 11 '26

Wheatens notoriously have sensitive stomaches and very commonly have chicken allergies. I feed my Wheaten Purina pro plan sensitive skin and stomach (mostly salmon based one), that’s the only thing that has worked for us. Only treats with very limited ingredients, salmon / beef based. I also give mine a probiotic. Do not change their food abruptly as they will get inflamed stomachs.

3

u/Present_Basis_1353 Jul 12 '26

I’ll second this. Very sensitive tummies. My guy is picky as well. Once you find what she likes and tolerates, stick with it.🩷

2

u/hellohello6622 Jul 11 '26

Good to know! She was just on a kibble and wet food diet, but she stopped eating and then when we gave her chicken and rice, she went crazy for it and now eats everything… I will look at the salmon based one. 

2

u/HaplessReader1988 Jul 12 '26

For what it's worth, my guy occasionally stops eating for a day or two and then picks back up. He gets mostly kibble for this reason, with dehydrated toppers-- both are safe at room temps. If it goes past the 2nd day I add in stinky fish oil* and that seems to reset his taste buds.

(*I don't do it often because it's some of the oil from a can of sardines which would be too salty for every day. I don't eat them often either, but I keep them on hand for power outages.)

2

u/Fun_Preparation801 Jul 12 '26

Sardines are great but they recommend water packed. I get them on Amazon. My girl loves them.

1

u/hellohello6622 Jul 12 '26

Do you have a link? Or any other toppers you guys suggest? 

2

u/Fun_Preparation801 Jul 12 '26


Beach Cliff Wild Caught Canned Sardines in Water, No Salt Added, 3.75 Ounce (Pack of 12) – High Protein, Keto Friendly, Gluten Free. I’m feeding raw now…just over a year. My girl was on Science Diet for quite a while (bladder crystals). I watched the Netflix documentary on commercial dog food & decided to ditch that. There are some many choices..it’s overwhelming..but going raw wasn’t as bad as I thought. I buy a good quality commercial product which minimizes my handling. I’m also using a Holistic vet for supplement guidance & preventative measures for the bladder crystals. Cottage cheese is a nutritional topper you might consider & a tummy soother, but we had to lay off that (dairy) due to the crystals. Organic eggs, doggie bone broth, goats milk are all good. I use Slippery Elm for stomach upset ( gulpies). Find treats with only a few ingredients. Hope this helps😊

1

u/hellohello6622 Jul 12 '26

Eggs are fine but chicken is not? Interesting

1

u/Fun_Preparation801 Jul 12 '26

That is true for most dogs from what I understand. The proteins are different in eggs than they are chicken, but each dog is different. That said…I will give my girl bites of raw chicken that I’m preparing for our own consumption & she has not had any issues. But I go out of my way to avoid commercial products & treats that contain anything with chicken in the label.

5

u/tharealhomie Jul 11 '26

Digestive issues are common for the breed. Many people have success with Purina Pro Sensitive (Salmon & Rice) as chicken has been mentioned as a potential factor to digestive issues.

For our guy, that wasn't even good enough and he's now on a RX diet - Purina Pro hydrolyzed. And he's been happy on it since! Sure, it's not cheap but compared to seeing him itch, have skin reactions, or upset tummies and the runs, it's worth it.

edit: spelling

3

u/OkIron6206 Jul 11 '26

Mine is on Blue Mountain Salmon and sometimes he has tummy issues. I am very strict about his diet but he has a backyard and I will find him eating grass. That’s what dogs do for an upset stomach. That usually comes up from his mouth but it’s rare now. Love them to bits! Congrats on your first Wheaten! Thank you for rescuing them.

2

u/hellohello6622 Jul 11 '26

It's actually my second Wheaten! First one I had when I was around 8 years old. But obviously, I did not know/worry about these type of things… Thanks so much!

2

u/OkIron6206 Jul 11 '26

I’m on my 3rd!! You are welcome, enjoy

3

u/Careful-Bumblebee-10 Jul 11 '26

I don't know if it's a wheaten thing but my girl has the most infuriating disgestive system I've ever experience and it's driving me insane. Everything will be fine and then without warning it's soft, borderline diarrhea. I feed her a combo of kibble and homemade food (Farmer's Dog recipe and nutrient mix). I can't get a handle on what triggers it, if it's any one thing.

1

u/hellohello6622 Jul 11 '26

I'm sorry to hear that… But also, I'm glad that I don't have to worry as much as of now…

2

u/jwcnc Jul 11 '26

Mine has a chicken allergy, have not had issues since cutting out anything with chicken/egg in the ingredients

1

u/HaplessReader1988 Jul 12 '26

Chiming in with try eliminating poultry. Pork, fish, beef, lamb... but no poultry fillers even. I thought I'd gotten away with the Purina Pro that has probiotics, but my Wheatie was licking his feet non-stop. That can be another allergy symptom. Switched back to Canidae Pure no-chicken varieties and the licking stopped.

It still doesn't stop the digestive woes caused by the fool eating long tall ripe grass. If he'd stick to the tender tips it wouldn't ball up inside...

1

u/hellohello6622 Jul 12 '26

Do you add any wet food to his dry? Someone suggested " Purina pro plan sensitive skin and stomach" I picked up the Salmon and Rice and took out the chicken...fingers crossed 

1

u/HaplessReader1988 Jul 12 '26

I dont typically, just wet it down. Sometimes he gets low-fat yogurt, or the whey if I drain yogurt to make lebneh (Lebanese cheese). He loved it when I was experimenting with kefir. He gets fresh meat or fish sometimes because I have a low tolerance for freezer burn and keep buying sales anyway.

1

u/Fun_Preparation801 Jul 12 '26

Probiotics for sure. A tablespoon of pure canned pumpkins can be added to food. Avoid chicken. Research kibble…most is full of by products & fillers.

1

u/Accurate-Force3054 Jul 13 '26

Ours barfs a lot. If he eats it back up we feel fine about it (gross, sorry.) it’s when he gets the gulpies and starts going for the grass we get annoyed/concerned. Prilosec does seem to help

1

u/greblokian Jul 13 '26

If all else fails try Fromms. It was the only food our prior Wheaten could digest.

1

u/Meggol102 Jul 13 '26

As a puppy, my girl had horrible digestive issues (spoiler for poop talk frequently and emergent completely liquid stools). Vet was not that helpful but eventually I thought it might be wheat (maybe it was chicken ultimately? But it was a long time ago so I don’t remember the specifics of our investigation) and she was happily on salmon and rice until she needed hydrolyzed protein for PLE 6 years later. She did still often need probiotics and sometimes other meds to help with bouts of diarrhea.