my puppys poo.

Question
Sorry, I'm sure you find this question just lovely.
I've had my 3 month old westie about three weeks now and her poo is always a little mushy when it comes out. Every once in a while she poos out mucous. Can you tell me what may be wrong with her? She just went to the vet about a week ago and did not have any health issues, so I am completely confused. I feed her Beneful Puppy Food, so maybe that is the issue?

Answer
Hi Tori-

Dont worry about the question :) There could be a couple of things wrong with her. Has she had a fecal to check for worms? If she has worms, her "poo" can be quite disturbing! If she has had a fecal and she DOESNT have worms, lets look at your food choice.

Beneful, is, if you will excuse my candor, not a good food choice! Here are the ingredients:

Ground yellow corn, chicken by-product meal, corn gluten meal, whole wheat flour, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of vitamin e), chicken, rice flour, milk, soy flour, sugar, sorbitol, tricalcium phosphate, water, animal digest, salt, phosphoric acid, potassium chloride, dicalcium phosphate, sorbic acid (preservative), l-lysine monohydrochloride, added color (yellow 5, red 40, yellow 6, blue 2), calcium carbonate, dried peas, dried carrots, calcium propionate (preservative), choline chloride, dl-methionine, vitamin e supplement, zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, vitamin a supplement, manganese sulfate, niacin, vitamin b12 supplement, calcium pantothenate, riboflavin supplement, copper sulfate, brewers dried yeast, biotin, garlic oil, thiamine hydrochloride, pyridoxine hydrochloride, thiamine mononitrate, folic acid, vitamin d3 supplement, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of vitamin k activity), calcium iodate, sodium

The first ingredients are Ground yellow corn, chicken by product meal, corn gluten meal and whole wheat flour. Three of the top four (TGhe most commonly appearing ingredients) are inferior grains, which are completely undigestible to dogs. If you MUST feed a food with grains, only feed food with whole white rice or brown rice, and NO OTHER GRAINS. Chicken by products.. what is that? Would you eat that? I know I wouldn't! If the makers of the dog food can't even identify it, why should I feed it to my dog? Preferably, you should feed a food with no grains in it, higher protein (but still in range for a puppy), and low fat. Good choices include Taste of the Wild, Innova EVO puppy, Canidae all stages (This has grain in it, but it is rice, NO corn) just try to keep in mind that Corn is to dogs like sawdust is to us- its indigestible, but it would certainly fill us up! Thats why dog food manufactorers use it.

Try visiting here: http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/ and taking a look at the six star foods. (beneful is 1 star!) You may be able to find someone a little healthier for your baby Westie! ( just make sure its appropriate for puppies!)