Let’s Talk Poop
Granted, dog poop is almost never an exciting topic, even though everyone has seen it, most have bagged it and many have taken it to the vet. So why are we talking about dog poop? Because as an older dog, it sometimes needs more examination than that of my younger friends.
I’m Lazarus, a 12-year-old Plott Hound, raised to hunt bear. It was a dangerous life, which is how I ended up blind in one eye, missing parts of my nose and tail, and earned my name after returning from near death. People love a survivor – especially when you mention fighting bears – and my rescuer has provided a more relaxed environment. Still, some recent health issues changed me from good ol’ dog to senior dog, which has led to talking about poop.
From my point of view aging dogs are more prone to infections, and infections lead to antibiotics, and antibiotics can lead to poop problems. Other than hoping all the problems take place outside of the house, what’s to be done? The GI tract is sensitive and has been cleaned of its natural biotics thanks to my medication.
I’ve eaten all the short-term food solutions: boiled chicken, white rice and others, but then I made things even more challenging by deciding I wanted a different daily food. No more crunchy kibble!
The experiment was to find something easier to chew, healthy, affordable and tasty that also works with my digestive tract. I needed an immediate switch to canned food and began trying different flavors from different brands but that created a problem. I had…. ahem …. diarrhea, but the short term solutions weren’t going to solve my long-term changes.
BioStar’s K9 Terra Biota
At the suggestion of BioStar I asked that K9 Terra Biota be added to my food. It’s a probiotic designed to bring canine microorganisms back into our GI tract and also includes soil-based organisms, meaning I can get important minerals from soils in my food rather than licking the carpet. I tried the Terra Biota on a Monday night and my next poop was pleasant for everyone involved.
Whether it’s caused by a change in diet or greater susceptibility to antibiotics, dog poop problems stink (hehe). I found the probiotics and earth elements in Biostar’s Terra Biota were a simple solution to the problem.
Lazarus lives with BioStar’s Rick Moore.
