diarreah scare

[Gary_and_Karen]

We went thru a scare Thursday with Xena, the night before she started having diarreah which we figured was not unusual for a 9 week old puppy weaned from her mother just a few weeks before, and also that the SPCA was feeding different foods they get donated so they could not tell me what she had been eating recently so what we were feeding her was likely a sudden change in her food, added to that the initial stress of getting used to a new home.

 

 

What scared us was that as Thursday went on in addition to having diarreah she also started being leathargic and not wanting to eat or drink, she threw up just a little mucus but only a few times, when we realized it was more than just diarreah we called the vets and they would have seen her on Friday, so were were praying and hoping in the meantime, and when I though she wanted to go out to potty again around 8:30 Thursday evening, she did not show any interest in going out the front door, what it was is that all of a sudden after not eating or drinking all day she got her appetite back in a big way and was eagerly eating her food plus some canned pumpkin and was drinking water, and then she was no longer lethargic but back to her frisky puppy-like running around. She still was going potty a little more frequent than normal but that is understanable, we are so relieved, she is still acting normal and frisky today and my wife is going to watch her today while I am at work and make sure she still gets some pumpkin with her food, we got some carrots for her also.

 

 

I guess it is normal to go thru that with a 9 week old puppy, it just that we had no experience with one that young before, the last one we adopted 15 years ago was 5 months old and I guess was past that stage of their digestive system maturing.

 

I had read yesterday that diarreah with puppies is not unusual, that it is more a matter of when than if they have diarreah at some time during their growing up.

 

We are so relieved at her tremendous improvement and thank God for being past that scare as new "parents".

[Gideon's girl]

I would say it's not unusual with a rescue, because as you stated, they get their food changed a lot. The pumpkin is great, just a spoonful with every meal, too much can also loosen stools. You might also want to consider getting pre/probiotics and digestive enzymes for her at least until she is solid for a couple weeks on the new food. Some dogs do better with them all the time.

[Carson Crazies]

At that age, too, I'd want to know when she was last dewormed. It may be time.

[Gary_and_Karen]

We took Xena to the vets on Friday since she was still having diarreah even though she had started eating and drinking again and being frisky and energetic.

 

The vet tested a stool sample and saw nothing that she said would have caused diarreah.

 

(she saw some hookworm but said that would not cause diarreah and gave her meds for that)

 

The only thing the vet could figure was that perhaps a sudden change in food from what the SPCA fed her could have caused the diarreah.

 

We picked up some "nature's choice" lamb and rice puppy food on the way home from adopting her, does anyone know if that is a good food or not ? We are planning to gradually switch her over to Purina One Smartblend puppy food later this week IF we can find it locally.

 

The vet prescribed metronidazole for the diarreah, 1/4 tablet twice a day for 8 days, her first does started Friday night, and after 2 doses Saturday and 2 doses today she is still squirting out diarreah so I guess it takes more than 2 days to show any progress.

 

Anyone have any experience with metronidazole, if so did it take most of the 8 days before seeing the stools starting to firm up instead of being liquid ?

 

On the plus side Xena still has a great appetite and drinks water and is very frisky and entergetic, but just still squirts diarreah starting from last Wednesday evening (metronidazole started Friday evening).

[rushdoggie]

Diarrhea in a youngster can be serious, I'm very glad you took her right to vet. I almost lost a small breed puppy to diarrhea because she was just so little the dehydration was a problem.

 

Stress, food change, something like giardia that doesn't always show on a fecal, something in her food that doesn't agree with her (Some good foods just don't agree with some dogs)...all those things could cause diarrhea.

 

If she doesn't firm up in a few days, take her back to the vet.

 

I would also consider adding a spoon of can pumpkin like it was suggested above, it can really help firm up stool.

[Gary_and_Karen]

Diarrhea in a youngster can be serious, I'm very glad you took her right to vet. I almost lost a small breed puppy to diarrhea because she was just so little the dehydration was a problem.

 

Stress, food change, something like giardia that doesn't always show on a fecal, something in her food that doesn't agree with her (Some good foods just don't agree with some dogs)...all those things could cause diarrhea.

 

If she doesn't firm up in a few days, take her back to the vet.

 

I would also consider adding a spoon of can pumpkin like it was suggested above, it can really help firm up stool.

 

We had tried pumpkin for a few days with still diarreah occuring.

 

She does drink plenty of water so hopefully that should help with staying hydrated.

 

Since the metronidazole was prescribed for 8 days, wouldn't that seem to indicate it could take more than 2 or 3 days to work ?

 

We plan on letting the vet know tomorrow she still has diarreah to see what she says as to how long it could take for the metronidazole to have effect, or whether some other meds needs to be tried.

 

(I have heard pros and cons as far as stuff like Imodium and Pepto Bismo)

 

She was only at the SPCA for a few days before we adopted her, so that means her food likely changed at least 3 times in a one week period, so perhaps that could cause the past 4 days of diarreah ?

[Jeri Jessee]

Changing the food can definitely do it. It happened to me the first week I had Maggie. (Scared me to death having just lost my 15 year old to pancreatitis.) Luckily it was not serious.

 

You should switch them over slowly over the course of a week if possible.

 

I would call the vet back if it is not getting better.

 

Sometimes you can put them on a bland diet of boiled chicken and rice and then gradually add in their dog food.

 

Also, ask your vet about Endosorb. I keep it on hand and it works wonders for bouts of diarrhea. However, I am not sure if it is advisable for such a young puppy.

 

Best of luck! It is sometimes scary having a new puppy. I had not had one in 15 years and I swear we were at the vet every other week for something (not really but it seemed like it). Luckily we're beyond that now and I have more confidence in knowing how to take care of her and what is an emergency and what is not.

[juliepoudrier]

IME metronidazole generally works pretty quickly. That said I had kittens that I had to keep on metronidazole for a while, along with some other wormers, because of persistent diarrhea. Usually metronidazole is prescribed for dogs that have diarrhea caused by a protozoan like giardia. I keep it on hand when traveling because normally it can stop the diarrhea pretty quickly.

 

FWIW, a pup with severe diarrhea probably can't drink enough to make up the difference. Do you know how to check for dehydration? Just pinch the skin along the back of the neck; if it doesn't go back to normal (that is, if it stays pinched up) immediately once you let go, then your pup is dehydrated.

 

Instead of changing to yet another food, I'd get some chicken and boil it, then cook some rice in the cooking water and feed her boiled chicken and white rice for a few days. If her GI tract is irritated, keeping her on a bland diet for several days and then slowly moving her back on to whatever you want to feed her would be the best approach. You really just need to give her stomach, and especially her intestines, a break with simple, easy-to-digest food (i.e., chicken and rice).

 

I also wouldn't add anything like immodium without consulting with your vet first.

 

J.

[Gary_and_Karen]

The vet called Monday to check on Xena's progress with metronidazole for the diarreah, I said she was still having diarreah but not quite as watery and she said it's only been about 48 hours give it another 48 hours.

 

Then Tuesday her stools started to firm up from originally "squirting yellow brown water" to a consisentcy of "mushy mashed potatoes" and is still that way today so that seems like good progress.

 

Uponn her waking up early Tuesday morning Xena was having some nasal congestion sneezing out some mucus but it stopped by mid morning or so, and did not recur till early this morning again upon waking up.

 

I read on PetMD that it is not unusual for pets (like humans) to have occasional nasal mucus and not to be concerned unless it gets severe.

 

Here is what PetMD said -

 

"Remember that it is normal for your dog to sneeze and have a nasal discharge, just as it is for humans. It is only when it becomes severe or chronic that you need to become concerned."

 

Here is the link to the entire article -

 

http://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions/respiratory/c_dg_Nasal_Discharge

 

Anyone have a simular experience with their dog ?

[juliepoudrier]

Whenever you get a pup from a shelter situation, you should err on the side of caution when various symptoms appear. As much as they try to control infection, it's well known that puppies in shelters are very susceptible to illness. They don't have strong immune systems in the first place (being puppies), the stress of being in a shelter can suppress the immune system, and sick dogs come in and usually aren't not kept in isolation (i.e., they could be contagious without showing symptoms). If this were my pup, I'd not rely on the Internet, but would make another trip to the vet.

 

Not dog-related, but several weeks ago, I had a kitten show up under my house. When I finally caught it, it clearly had an upper respiratory infection. I figured it was probably viral, isolated the kitten, and provided supportive treatment. Nearly two weeks later, the kitten wasn't much improved, though at least he was still eating despite being badly congested (cats rely greatly on their sense of smell to stimulate appetite). I took him to the vet, got him on antibtiotics, and he immediately started to clear up. It's likely he started with a viral infection, and that his illness was compounded by an opportunistic bacterial infection. I have other cats here (one a very frail 18.5 yeas old), so I had to be very careful about an isolation protocol for the kitten. Would the infection have cleared up without antibiotics? Maybe. But to be safe and not seeing any improvement, I decided the wise course of action was a vet visit.

 

I know you don't have other dogs to worry about infecting one, but consider that puppies don't have vast reserves and your pup has already been dealing with diarrhea, which is taking its toll on her constitution. To be safe, if she's got nasal and eye discharge, I'd have the vet look at her. If it's nothing, you're out an office visit. If it's the start of an upper respiratory infection, you may catch it early enough to prevent it turning into a full-blown illness.

 

FWIW, none of my dogs ever has nasal discharge (other than the normal wet nose). I would not consider it normal if one suddenly did start discharging mucous. I would be less concerned with a little eye discharge (the tiniest bit of clearish dry stuff that you sometimes have to clean from the corner of their eyes), but if there was clearly active discharge, especially along with nasal discharge, I would not consider that normal and I would contact my vet.

 

J.

[Gary_and_Karen]

Whenever you get a pup from a shelter situation, you should err on the side of caution when various symptoms appear. As much as they try to control infection, it's well known that puppies in shelters are very susceptible to illness. They don't have strong immune systems in the first place (being puppies), the stress of being in a shelter can suppress the immune system, and sick dogs come in and usually aren't not kept in isolation (i.e., they could be contagious without showing symptoms). If this were my pup, I'd not rely on the Internet, but would make another trip to the vet.

 

Not dog-related, but several weeks ago, I had a kitten show up under my house. When I finally caught it, it clearly had an upper respiratory infection. I figured it was probably viral, isolated the kitten, and provided supportive treatment. Nearly two weeks later, the kitten wasn't much improved, though at least he was still eating despite being badly congested (cats rely greatly on their sense of smell to stimulate appetite). I took him to the vet, got him on antibtiotics, and he immediately started to clear up. It's likely he started with a viral infection, and that his illness was compounded by an opportunistic bacterial infection. I have other cats here (one a very frail 18.5 yeas old), so I had to be very careful about an isolation protocol for the kitten. Would the infection have cleared up without antibiotics? Maybe. But to be safe and not seeing any improvement, I decided the wise course of action was a vet visit.

 

I know you don't have other dogs to worry about infecting one, but consider that puppies don't have vast reserves and your pup has already been dealing with diarrhea, which is taking its toll on her constitution. To be safe, if she's got nasal and eye discharge, I'd have the vet look at her. If it's nothing, you're out an office visit. If it's the start of an upper respiratory infection, you may catch it early enough to prevent it turning into a full-blown illness.

 

FWIW, none of my dogs ever has nasal discharge (other than the normal wet nose). I would not consider it normal if one suddenly did start discharging mucous. I would be less concerned with a little eye discharge (the tiniest bit of clearish dry stuff that you sometimes have to clean from the corner of their eyes), but if there was clearly active discharge, especially along with nasal discharge, I would not consider that normal and I would contact my vet.

 

J.

 

Thanks, I called the vet which must have been occupied so I left a voice mail about my concern, she is good about follow up calls to checks on your pets condition.

 

I just wonder why it only happens from early to about mid-morning for the most part.

 

I just remembered the vet did notice a slight runny nose on the last visit but did not thibk it was a concern.

 

In the shelter Xena was caged with her 2 sisters and no other dogs in their cage.

[Cynthia P]

Listen to your vet and as long as the stools are firming up it is going the right way. Some foods dogs don't do well on. When mine have a bought of exploding butt I usually give 12 hours no food, just water; And than I do boiled chicken and rice or boiled ground beef and rice. They get that for 3 or 4 days and than mix with the kibble. Gentle on the tummy.

 

Don't add stuff like peanut butter or Cream cheese to the kong right now if she is got a sensitive tummy; You could put a little chicken and rice into the kong. Introduction back to normal foods slowly (over the course of a week or so)

 

As for the runny nose, i don't see that too much however it could be related to cleaning products, pollen, dust etc that she is around during the day, and not in the evening/night. If it continues, back to the vet you go!

 

Cyntia

[juliepoudrier]

In the shelter Xena was caged with her 2 sisters and no other dogs in their cage.

Just an FYI, dogs (and cats) don't need to come into direct contact with one another to spread respiratory viruses, same as with people. Even if she was kenneled with her siblings, if there was another coughing, sneezing dog in the shelter, transmission could occur.

 

FWIW, I have a lot of sinus issues and am often worse in the morning after lying horizontal all night. Anyway, when your vet calls back you can describe what's going on, and having already seen Xena, she should be able to tell you whether there's cause for concern.

 

J.

[rushdoggie]

Just as a suggestion if you are looking for Kong stuffing for a puppy with GI issues: I have used chicken baby food (only ingredient was chicken) as glue with their own puppy kibble and then froze it in the Kong. You can even water it down a little to thin it even more.

 

If you get a couple of Kongs, you can stuff them and freeze them and then have them on hand for puppy pacifiers and providing recreation during quiet crate time.