Much ado about poo

Hopefully he will now grow into his skin.

I am pleased to announce that Diesel is now pooping like a big dog!  (Trumpet fanfare)

He's on a fistful of meds and I'll continue those until the antibiotics are finished and then gradually drop the over the counter things one at a time, but I'm inclined to give most of the credit to the new food, Natural Balance fish and sweet potato limited ingredient food. As soon as we started him on that he started producing poop that looks like horse manure: dark, solid, and well-formed. He made the transition to the new food with no problem. It's expensive food (over $50 for a 40 lb. bag) and Diesel will need a lot of it, but when you find something that works, it's worth it.

What I hope to see now is weight gain. While good poop is the first indicator of good digestion, the real proof will be seeing him turn food into muscle mass. This is going to be a spectacular looking dog in another 10, 15, or 20 pounds.

I'm familiar enough with our dogs' poop that I can generally determine what came out of which dog. It's ridiculous how much attention a dog owner gives to dog poop, but it's important. Those of us with dogs can sit and discuss it over the dinner table. Food is important and poop is the first indicator of how the food is working, particularly in a dog with food allergies or a sensitive stomach. Shepherds are prone to both and we've had our share of dogs with dietary issues. Moreover, it's something that dog people like to talk about, to compare stories, trade ideas, etc.

He still has some itching, but it will take about a month to see
if  the allergies abate with the new diet. He may still need an
antihistamine to control environmental allergies as well, but
I'm encouraged with his progress so far.

The feet are probably 85% better, but you can see
 there's still a wet spot on the floor by this left paw
where he had been licking it.