Henry is newly diagnosed with a mitral heart murmur (yesterday!) weight management/activity and wondering about some yelping; your insights please!

[Henry's Mum]

Hello Everyone from Canada!,
I found your website and am amazed with the knowledge, passion and love for cavalier's. Henry is a three year old tricolour handsome boy who gives me actual hugs! My grand daughter named him Love, when she was shown a picture of him as a puppy at the breeders and asked what would she call him. She was consistent with the name choice at 6 weeks and 9 weeks, so the name stayed! I can tell you that he lives up to his name as he exudes love for his entire pack, but I must say, he has a special love for his mummy .

I have a few questions: first about losing weight. Henry is fairly large boy, length wise as well as chest, and is currently 13 kg. He needs to slim down and I'm wondering what the best approach to do that would be. Do I cut down the portion AND limit treats, AND increase activity, or take one action at a time? How much do I cut back his portions by? He is eating Ziwi air dry food ( it's the only thing he will eat!) and receives 1 scoop twice a day, as per the recommendations on the package. He does get treats- dried tenderloin chews about 2/day, and he is not overly active, but will walk an hour once per day in the evening. Any support would be greatly appreciated!

The next question is about MVD. Sadly Henry was just at the vet yesterday and they heard a murmur for the first time; 2/6. He is booked for an echo and cardiologist visit in the next two weeks for further diagnosis. Should I be limiting his activity- don't make him run until the echo is done to have a better idea of his heart function, or carry on as usual?? I'm trying to also help him lose some weight but I'm trying to balance his activity with stress on his heart, with getting rid of the weight which is stressing his heart!

The next question I'm afraid to ask after having done some reading on your website. Henry began yelping if you try to pick him up under the forearms around the age of one. He had an episode of limping on his right front leg as a puppy about 9 months of age, that lasted about a week, but there was no injury and it has not re-appeared, but he walks like there is some stress on his front legs at times, that I attributed to being overweight. Now I'm quietly freaking out its SM! Should I bring this concern forward to his vet, and if so, do I say I'm concerned about SM for the reasons I've brought forward here ,or am I overreacting??

It's been a difficult 24 hours and I'm trying to stay grounded and informed to ensure Henry has the best life possible!

I look forward to your response!!
Christine

 

[Karlin]

Hi Christine and welcome. I've a lot of experience with both conditions -- I'm really sorry you've had a murmur diagnosis and it is always stressful to see symptoms that might be connected to SM.

I'll deal with the health issues then the weight challenge. As you rightly guess, maintaining a healthy weight will always be a priority with cavaliers as nearly all will have a murmur by age 10 and half by age 5. Every snippet of extra weight adds more work for the heart so getting to a good weight should be a priority. But I'll return to that!

There's a ton of helpful information on MVD and SM at www.cavaliermatters.org, just check the menu at the top to find the info. There's also enormous detail and research info at www.cavalierhealth.com.

On MVD: you're doing all the right steps for Love to have a cardiologist assess exactly what this is. Sometimes such murmurs aren't MVD but usually they are in cavaliers. Grade 2 is quite low (though grade alone doesn't give the full picture, but generally, the lower the better) and it's very hard to predict outcomes -- however the heart health of Love's parents and especially, grandparents would give insight. Be sure the breeder is told of this diagnosis as this age of onset would be of concern for a good breeder trying to breed away from MVD, especially early onset MVD. A responsible breeder will welcome such feedback and be able to offer support and advice, too. A murmur could remain stable, or advance only very slowly, or more quickly. It's hard to tell but the good thing is you know it is there and can get expert advice now for managing it. Let us know the outcome of the cardiologist visit. I have a rescue cavalier who was diagnosed with a murmur at around the same age as Love and it was years before he needed to go on meds. He's done fine for a year on meds now and is extremely active and has no symptoms. I'll be getting him checked by the cardiologist in the autumn. He's probably around age 8 now. On exercise -- you're very unlikely to need to hold back! My cavaliers with murmurs regularly have gone on walks of several miles with no issues, until they were quite elderly when long walks would have become too much for them and they had other health issues too. If anything the fitter your dog, the better his heart can manage a murmur. It's the same for people. The cardiologist can give you reassuring advice on this. I'd say he should be getting at least a 45 minute active walk twice a day.

On SM: this is hard to know. What I can say is most dogs are very uncomfortable being picked up by their front legs (unlike cats, which are far more flexible). Most of my dogs would likely yelp if lifting this way -- best approach its to scoop them from below, supporting them at front and back ends! If that makes sense . A brief limp at 9 months would probably not be any concern as young dogs are so active and can bang their leg or get a slight sprain etc. Can you explain more about what concerns you with his front legs now in terms of stress? I will say this: usually, other symptoms would show well before anything like front leg weakness -- the most common would be scratching a lot at ears and neck or especially, air scratching where the dog 'bunny hops' on three legs while scratching but not making contact. That kind of scratching is really only seen with SM. You could have your vet do a really basic proprioception test to see how he responds when his paws are turned under. See more here: https://wagwalking.com/condition/proprioceptive-deficits

However walking issues like this can be due to disk disease and cavaliers are prone to this and being overweight is an added risk. I'd suggest having a look at the Cavalier Matters page on SM symptoms. If all you are seeing is some possible concern with gait I'd think this is more likely to be something else. SM is extremely common in the breed though often not symptomatic. While a diagnosis is always a worry, and some dogs can be badly affected, I've had many cavaliers with it (cav crosses are prone to it too as are other flatter-faced breeds like Frenchies) and all have been well managed on meds and lived active lives, and eventually passed away from other health issues.

On weight: your vet can advise but I'd say yes to all three: cut back on food, cut back on treats (there's a lot of calories in most treats and many dried meat treats are a large-ish size) and offer more activity and exercise. A good starting point is to cut back meals by one third and buy smaller food dishes if that helps, as the urge to top up can be strong! Also measure portions each time. Try low calorie treats like carrot sticks, apple slices, pear slices, berries, sliced bell pepper... my dogs love all of these. I've a Newfie that likes raw cabbage and broccoli! Of course no grapes as they can be toxic. I'd only offer one of the dried meat treats a day or cut them to a weekend treat. Your vet can suggest a weight to work towards but generally what most owners think is normal weight is actually still overweight -- we've just all gotten so used to seeing dogs that are heavier than they should be. Most vets have a good chart of how a dog should appear but cavalier coats can make this hard to visually assess unless they are wet!

Sorry for the length here and others might have personal suggestions too -- but hope this helps.

 

[Henry's Mum]

Hi Christine and welcome. I've a lot of experience with both conditions -- I'm really sorry you've had a murmur diagnosis and it is always stressful to see symptoms that might be connected to SM.

I'll deal with the health issues then the weight challenge. As you rightly guess, maintaining a healthy weight will always be a priority with cavaliers as nearly all will have a murmur by age 10 and half by age 5. Every snippet of extra weight adds more work for the heart so getting to a good weight should be a priority. But I'll return to that!

There's a ton of helpful information on MVD and SM at www.cavaliermatters.org, just check the menu at the top to find the info. There's also enormous detail and research info at www.cavalierhealth.com.

On MVD: you're doing all the right steps for Love to have a cardiologist assess exactly what this is. Sometimes such murmurs aren't MVD but usually they are in cavaliers. Grade 2 is quite low (though grade alone doesn't give the full picture, but generally, the lower the better) and it's very hard to predict outcomes -- however the heart health of Love's parents and especially, grandparents would give insight. Be sure the breeder is told of this diagnosis as this age of onset would be of concern for a good breeder trying to breed away from MVD, especially early onset MVD. A responsible breeder will welcome such feedback and be able to offer support and advice, too. A murmur could remain stable, or advance only very slowly, or more quickly. It's hard to tell but the good thing is you know it is there and can get expert advice now for managing it. Let us know the outcome of the cardiologist visit. I have a rescue cavalier who was diagnosed with a murmur at around the same age as Love and it was years before he needed to go on meds. He's done fine for a year on meds now and is extremely active and has no symptoms. I'll be getting him checked by the cardiologist in the autumn. He's probably around age 8 now. On exercise -- you're very unlikely to need to hold back! My cavaliers with murmurs regularly have gone on walks of several miles with no issues, until they were quite elderly when long walks would have become too much for them and they had other health issues too. If anything the fitter your dog, the better his heart can manage a murmur. It's the same for people. The cardiologist can give you reassuring advice on this. I'd say he should be getting at least a 45 minute active walk twice a day.

On SM: this is hard to know. What I can say is most dogs are very uncomfortable being picked up by their front legs (unlike cats, which are far more flexible). Most of my dogs would likely yelp if lifting this way -- best approach its to scoop them from below, supporting them at front and back ends! If that makes sense . A brief limp at 9 months would probably not be any concern as young dogs are so active and can bang their leg or get a slight sprain etc. Can you explain more about what concerns you with his front legs now in terms of stress? I will say this: usually, other symptoms would show well before anything like front leg weakness -- the most common would be scratching a lot at ears and neck or especially, air scratching where the dog 'bunny hops' on three legs while scratching but not making contact. That kind of scratching is really only seen with SM. You could have your vet do a really basic proprioception test to see how he responds when his paws are turned under. See more here: https://wagwalking.com/condition/proprioceptive-deficits

However walking issues like this can be due to disk disease and cavaliers are prone to this and being overweight is an added risk. I'd suggest having a look at the Cavalier Matters page on SM symptoms. If all you are seeing is some possible concern with gait I'd think this is more likely to be something else. SM is extremely common in the breed though often not symptomatic. While a diagnosis is always a worry, and some dogs can be badly affected, I've had many cavaliers with it (cav crosses are prone to it too as are other flatter-faced breeds like Frenchies) and all have been well managed on meds and lived active lives, and eventually passed away from other health issues.

On weight: your vet can advise but I'd say yes to all three: cut back on food, cut back on treats (there's a lot of calories in most treats and many dried meat treats are a large-ish size) and offer more activity and exercise. A good starting point is to cut back meals by one third and buy smaller food dishes if that helps, as the urge to top up can be strong! Also measure portions each time. Try low calorie treats like carrot sticks, apple slices, pear slices, berries, sliced bell pepper... my dogs love all of these. I've a Newfie that likes raw cabbage and broccoli! Of course no grapes as they can be toxic. I'd only offer one of the dried meat treats a day or cut them to a weekend treat. Your vet can suggest a weight to work towards but generally what most owners think is normal weight is actually still overweight -- we've just all gotten so used to seeing dogs that are heavier than they should be. Most vets have a good chart of how a dog should appear but cavalier coats can make this hard to visually assess unless they are wet!

Sorry for the length here and others might have personal suggestions too -- but hope this helps.

Oh my goodness thank you so very very much for all of your thoughts and ideas and replying to me Karin!! I've been quietly freaking out!!
Thank you for the reassurance to keep up with the walks and runs. I didn't have him chase his ball yesterday for fear of overexerting himself, but did go on his usual 1 hour walk. I will up the activity to twice a day, as he usually goes once a day in the evening. Okay; cutting back on the portion and treats makes good sense too. Poor Henry Love....he may be a bit sad to hear the treats are going away, but I'm sure he will feel better once the weight is off and he will look forward to a treat when they are less frequent.
I will certainly update you on the cardiologist visit and state of the murmur; May 23rd so not too long to wait, and then of course the report will likely take a few days to receive after the test is done. I will certainly reach out to the breeder and let them know once I have confirmation from the echo about the murmur. As you say, there could be an error with auscultation of the heart and the echo will be more definitive. The breeder was so proud of the lack of MVD in their dogs and if Henry love does have this, I think they will be surprised. I have a list of parents and grandparents so I'm sure this information would be very helpful to have, and could let any other descendants of the same family tree know of the possible risk. I agree...if I was the breeder I would want to know!

The SM worry: He does not like to be held under the forearms or really touched under them at all, and is always scooped up. He cries if you attempt to lift him under the forearms in any manner. We actually tell him we are going to scoop him up when he comes beside the couch! He has never been overly athletic and has always been nervous about jumping up onto the couch. He seems to be having more difficulty jumping up this past year...it seems to take more effort. I attributed this to being overweight. But...he also has had since he was a little pup, challenges with stepping or jumping over small obstacles, such as coming over the one step from outside to inside the house. The step is only about 3 inches high and is grey in colour- cement. He paws at the step as if to know where it is and then jumps over, or will jump up onto the couch after the pawing it first. Its like he doesn't quite see what is there in front of him. He barks at anything that is coloured black!! I have no idea why this it, but any black clothing, cars, anything at all that is black he barks madly at. He rubs each side of his face on the carpet sometimes, not frequently, and not for long. I thought perhaps he was itchy or it just felt good to him! No bunny hops or air scratching, or scratching of his ears. He rarely scratches!
His gait is a bit of a waddle, but again I thought perhaps that was a weight issue. He does sometimes drag his right front paw while walking, the top part of the paw, not the pad, it kind of tucks under. This doesn't occur often and seems to happen when he is more tired towards the end of the walk, but is not consistently occurring. It seems to be the right front paw/leg that I notice the weakness or dragging in. His head is not overly smushed, ( not the technical name!), and he has always been on the big size. He was significantly bigger than his littermates!
He is a very picky eater, and needed to be spoon fed as a pup, and I would need to stay with him while he eats...eating is a very social event for Henry Love! He is eating an air dry high protein food but was on a raw diet for the first 8 months and did really great on that until one day he refused to eat it anymore!
I can't thank you enough for your support and direction to more reading...I will be doing that later this evening, right after Henry Love and I get back from our walk. He will be happy to know his ball is coming along this time to the park!

Christine

 

[Karlin]

The breeder was so proud of the lack of MVD in their dogs and if Henry love does have this, I think they will be surprised.

I have to be honest here.

There is no breeder of cavaliers anywhere that has lines that are clear, or even mostly clear of MVD -- it is endemic in the breed, and every breeder is breeding dogs with MVD and owns dogs that have eventually developed MVD, so they should certainly not be surprised unless they don't test their dogs and don't know much about the breed. I've had over a dozen cavaliers and not one has remained heart clear. I'm a member of the Irish CKCS breed club too (as a pet owner, I've never shown ). Health focused breeders work really hard to push MVD towards later onset, and carefully choose their breeding dogs to work toward this, and many clubs worldwide offer discounted heart auscultations by a club cardiologist to members and even non-members at some club events, but sadly most breeders worldwide do not do the needed testing (with a cardiologist, not just a vet) and don't follow breeding recommendations (no cavalier should be bred til age 2.5 and then ONLY if heart clear and also with both parents heart clear still at age 5. If parents' heart health isn't known or doesn't conform to this then a cavalier shouldn't be bred til age 5). If your breeder is claiming no MVD in her lines, you could ask if she can show you the cardiologist auscultation certificates for the parent dogs and ideally, grandparents from when the dogs were at least age 5. Heart clear at age 2.5 is not very meaningful on its own as almost all cavaliers will be heart clear at that age -- that's why it's so important for parents to be clear. Does she register her heart results at OFA? (you can search for dogs and test results for a range of health conditions here: https://ofa.org/). Does she follow heart health breeding protocols? It would be absolutely believable and commendable if she has worked hard to limit MVD and is surprised by an early onset case -- as opposed to saying she has no MVD and her lines are clear. There's a big difference!

This is no criticism of you at all! Unfortunately the majority of the world's cavalier breeders are not very forthcoming on how they actually breed in terms of breed health, or on the realities with their own dogs. Likewise all lines of cavaliers worldwide carry CM/SM and only a tiny handful of cavaliers have been found without CM, the skull malformation that can lead to SM. Most dogs thankfully either do no go on to SM or remain asymptomatic but breeders are falsely selling dogs claiming they have no MVD, or SM in their lines, too. I say this as someone who has fought these breed health issues for over two decades and I know a lot of the specialist researchers and some of the club cardiologists and the neurologists offering breeders scans and breeding advice).

This is the downside of the world of cavaliers... the good news is many breeders really are health focused .But there's an awful lot of wilful deception or simple ignorance too.

 

[Karlin]

His gait is a bit of a waddle, but again I thought perhaps that was a weight issue. He does sometimes drag his right front paw while walking, the top part of the paw, not the pad, it kind of tucks under. This doesn't occur often and seems to happen when he is more tired towards the end of the walk, but is not consistently occurring. It seems to be the right front paw/leg that I notice the weakness or dragging in.

Ok this definitely does warrant further checking out. The face rub on the carpet is pretty common normal behaviour though it can be a sign of SM but generally only when done to excess. On head shapes -- cavaliers don't have extreme flat faces but they are brachycephalic -- their muzzle is much shorter than in a small dog with normal head shape (conformation) and this causes changes in the internal layout of the skull and internal organs and structures that creates the potential for various issues including SM. It's very hard for anyone but experts to evaluate a risky head shape though. Also a difficult aspect with SM is, many SM symptoms (like rubbing or scratching) are more intense versions of normal behaviours or symptoms of other common issues so it can be tricky to diagnose sometimes without an MRI.

I wouldn't necessarily think any of this is a sign of SM -- BUT that paw knuckling under is a sign of something neurological going on, whether a compressed nerve or something else. At his age I'd think this could be a possible disk issue; SM just seems unlikely as a cause if this is the only symptom. Talk about this with your vet, they'll probably want to do a back X-ray and see if there's anything obvious. Unfortunately sometimes an MRI is the best way of seeing what is going on and these are expensive. But generally if treatment is the same, I'd be inclined to try any recommended meds and see if there's improvement. You might get some little dog steps to help him up to the sofa. I actually have a cavalier that similarly is fazed by steps and needs a bit of a run to get onto the sofa despite being larger than breed standard. His smaller companions easily tackle the sofa and window seat. I suspect some disk disease with him too but doesn't;t seem to bother him otherwise. The knuckling under though really should be explored further.

Love is absolutely gorgeous, I do like a handsome tricolour!! I hope these posts aren't too upsetting, am just trying to give you a bit more breed health context and hopefully you're not dealing with anything that will affect his life and activities.

 

[Henry's Mum]

I have to be honest here.

There is no breeder of cavaliers anywhere that has lines that are clear, or even mostly clear of MVD -- it is endemic in the breed, and every breeder is breeding dogs with MVD and owns dogs that have eventually developed MVD, so they should certainly not be surprised unless they don't test their dogs and don't know much about the breed. I've had over a dozen cavaliers and not one has remained heart clear. I'm a member of the Irish CKCS breed club too (as a pet owner, I've never shown ). Health focused breeders work really hard to push MVD towards later onset, and carefully choose their breeding dogs to work toward this, and many clubs worldwide offer discounted heart auscultations by a club cardiologist to members and even non-members at some club events, but sadly most breeders worldwide do not do the needed testing (with a cardiologist, not just a vet) and don't follow breeding recommendations (no cavalier should be bred til age 2.5 and then ONLY if heart clear and also with both parents heart clear still at age 5. If parents' heart health isn't known or doesn't conform to this then a cavalier shouldn't be bred til age 5). If your breeder is claiming no MVD in her lines, you could ask if she can show you the cardiologist auscultation certificates for the parent dogs and ideally, grandparents from when the dogs were at least age 5. Heart clear at age 2.5 is not very meaningful on its own as almost all cavaliers will be heart clear at that age -- that's why it's so important for parents to be clear. Does she register her heart results at OFA? (you can search for dogs and test results for a range of health conditions here: https://ofa.org/). Does she follow heart health breeding protocols? It would be absolutely believable and commendable if she has worked hard to limit MVD and is surprised by an early onset case -- as opposed to saying she has no MVD and her lines are clear. There's a big difference!

This is no criticism of you at all! Unfortunately the majority of the world's cavalier breeders are not very forthcoming on how they actually breed in terms of breed health, or on the realities with their own dogs. Likewise all lines of cavaliers worldwide carry CM/SM and only a tiny handful of cavaliers have been found without CM, the skull malformation that can lead to SM. Most dogs thankfully either do no go on to SM or remain asymptomatic but breeders are falsely selling dogs claiming they have no MVD, or SM in their lines, too. I say this as someone who has fought these breed health issues for over two decades and I know a lot of the specialist researchers and some of the club cardiologists and the neurologists offering breeders scans and breeding advice).

This is the downside of the world of cavaliers... the good news is many breeders really are health focused .But there's an awful lot of wilful deception or simple ignorance too.

I really appreciate your knowledge and expertise on cavaliers Karlin. I do believe I am nowhere near as knowledgeable as you are and did not know all of these questions to ask the breeder when selecting a puppy. I assumed that a breeder with the canadian kennel club would be trustworthy! They did show me a lot of detailed information, lineage and health certificates, but I am not sure what exactly the evidence was for not having MVD in the parents and grandparents, but I was shown health documents. I did not know what to ask for specifically or even ask for at all related to health. I did not know that MVD had an early and late onset. I thought you had it or did not! I'm certain the breeder will welcome this information as they are a very reputable breeder and a member of the Canadian Kennel Club. I'm not sure about them posting to OFA, but I will dig out the information that was shared with me and see!! They most certainly adhere to heart health breeding protocols. As you say, an early onset does indeed differ from being clear and that is a very important distinction! I was confident that Henry was going to be free of MVD but it is also entirely possible that I did not hear what she was saying correctly as well, and thought that being clear of MVD was in reference to early onset MVD. I will certainly update you on that front once I have the cardiologist results and share them with the breeder!
Is MVD and SM a genetic mutation? If so, could you screen for the genetic anomaly for MVD and SM in the breeding parents and if present, don't breed? Or even screen all puppies to see if they are at risk for these disorders? Or do they all carry the gene and its a matter of when, not if these disorders will occur??

I remain hopeful that King Henry Love ( full name!) has a minor heart murmur and that it does not progress quickly or at all! But if it does, we are in good hands with a cardiologist and a fabulous vet. I purchased pet insurance from the first day I brought him home and I remain ever grateful for being able to. I don't have to worry about ensuring Henry will have all the care he needs.

I will bring the sensitivity under his forearms, the walking waddle and the occasional /foot drag to the vets attention and follow up on that front next next. Goodness...what a life changing visit to the vet two days ago has been! However, I again am very grateful for your support and knowledge, and direction to additional support and knowledge to help me support Henry. I truly am so grateful for this site and this community.
I have increased his walks to twice a day now...he's a bit tired but happy to go!

Next is his diet. I'm not sure what to do as he has loose poops. He eats the Ziwi air dried food that is 96% protein and no fillers...so I thought this would be ideal and give him firm poops! I had been cooking meals for him for a while...rabbit, chicken, lamb and beef, some rice and some veggies...but he would go through stages of not eating that. The ziwi is the one thing he will consistently eat. Should I add pumpkin to his diet?? I heard that is helpful for loose stool. Is there any diet anyone can recommend? Should I have some wet food, some of the air dry and some homemade?? I will offer Henry whatever is best for him and gives him a healthy gut!

Thank you again for your response, your support and sharing your knowledge with me!!

Christine

 

[Karlin]

Sorry for delay on replying -- am actually away on holidays at the moment. It may well be just a slight misunderstanding -- meaning parents dogs may be heart clear and the breeder is proud of having generally good heart lines.

Yes both MVD and SM are genetic conditions, neither is very well understood because they are not simple traits -- meaning there's unfortunately, not just one identifiable genetic cause of the condition, which can then be tested for, as with for example episodic falling syndrome in cavaliers. Instead they are complex and with SM, seem linked to the general cavalier head shape which makes the breed more prone but as has been discovered in the past two decades, any small breed with a shortened nose to flat face seems predisposed to CM/SM and French bulldogs seem particularly affected, to name one breed, as are yorkies, chihuahuas and others including staffies. But cavaliers seem to be the most affected breed.

You can't screen for theses conditions by genetic tests but breeders can screen by other means (tests such as auscultations by a cardiologist, not just a vet; and MRIs for CM/SM; doing this when dogs are old enough for them to mean something, and continuing to test as dogs age as both conditions tend to show up as dogs age, not when young. Hence the 2.5 age starting point). Research shows this does lower though not entirely eliminate incidence. But frustratingly, the majority of breeders have been very reluctant to do testing and also, continue to deny the problems or claim they know better on how to breed. Or who just breed to make money from puppies and don't care. Then the puppies get bred by many pet owners who are not even aware of the health issues and the problems continue to be passed along and to concentrate in the breed.

If he's having loose poops and a fecal test is clear, then I'd probably narrow down what he's being fed. Some dogs just don't do well on a wide variety of different things, and have more sensitive stomachs. It's important for home cooked to be nutritionally balanced which can be challenging. The Ziwi food looks great and I see they do a beef with pumpkin which you could try. A tablespoon of cooked pumpkin (can be tinned) or other hard squash like butternut can definitely help. Maybe try just the Ziwi without lots of extra additions, and maybe reconsider treats? Sometimes the dried meat treats have a lot of fat that might cause the runs... it's hard to know without removing everything and trying to isolate where the issues are. Generally what I'd do is an elimination diet -- try Ziwi only for meals and maybe use a piece of it as a treats, and see how King Henry Love does on that? Then try adding in ... a bit of a quality wet food? I see Ziwi do wet food too as well as treats. Maybe focus on just one flavour, like beef? Then if he does well on that then try another? If I move my dogs' diets around much, some will always get soft stools for a while, and some do just fine. It can really depend on the dog.