Q: Hi, I have a 7-year-old French Briard named Murphy. Three months ago he started having loose stools with a lot of mucous. I called my vet, and he recommended Immondium and Metamucil. It worked when I gave it, but as soon as Murphy ate, the mucous came back. Murphy has to have his food moistened because Briards are prone to bloat — the breeder told us to never give him dry food. Now the vet has him on a dry weight loss food, and I am so worried it will only add to the problem. I was feeding him a variety of vegetables, brown rice, sweet potatoes, lamb and chicken, and the vet said it might not be digestable for Murphy.

I am at my wits end and need to know the natural food I had him on is not going to hurt him. He is just the sweetest dog. He does need to lose weight, but the mucous must be a healing crisis of some kind and it would be great to know how to help him through it. I don’t know if Murphy having surgery twice last year — once to have a toe amputated and then to have a torn ACL and meniscus repaired — may have caused this due to the drugs he was on for inflammation and pain. I use homeopathy for my family and when I know what is going on with the animals I treat them as well, but this has me stumped.

A: Sorry to hear about Murphy’s digestive upset. In a dog that was previously normal, we can often trace the culprit back to something they have been exposed to or are currently eating.

Antibiotics and anti-inflammatories can act as triggers for digestive problems, so if he is still taking any medication, ask your veterinarian what the expected side effects are.

Also, critically evaluate what you have been feeding in the last several months — any new doggie treats or snacks? Many commercially available treats (even gourmet treats) are filled with artificial colorings and flavorings, carbohydrates and sugars and can be the cause of digestive upset. You said you were feeding vegetables…some can cause diarrhea and gas (especially broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, many root veggies, etc)….so make sure you haven’t started something in the last few months that may be a problem.

Some dogs also require more fiber in their diet to maintain digestive health as they age. There are many natural forms of fiber, from pumpkin to psyllium. Ask your veterinarian what might be the best choice for Murphy.

You can also try a little slippery elm in addition to a high quality natural dog food to get Murphy back on the right track!