Puppy with Diarrhea?
I got my sheepdog, Madison, on May 13th from a pet store. She was 4 months old. She was up-to-date on her shots (only needed her last rabies and distemper) and had been dewormed. However, she had diarrhea along with all the other dogs in the pet store. We took her to the vet and they tested her for worms but they didn't see anything. She was put on a medicine for colitis at which time we also began switching over her food from the generic pet store brand to Science Diet Large Breed Puppy. The medicine seemed to be helping. Her BM's were improving, but they were still really soft. One Saturday after Puppy Playtime at Petsmart, she had an accident in the store. The scary part was that when she started going to the bathroom, 7 or 8 drops of blood came out before any poop. As for the poop, it was WAY NASTY! Mucusy and green....just horrible. We called our vet and she took us in right away. The vet said that we'd deworm her again. She said that you don't always see the worms under the microscope but that doesn't mean that they're not there. The deworming pill was different then the one given to her at the pet store and it was supposed to treat many more types of worms than the previous one. Three days later and her poops weren't any better. The vet gave us another medicine. This time it was for a viral infection in her intestines. She said that maybe it was creating an overgrowth of bad bacteria and this was what was causing the diarrhea. Two weeks later and her BM's were better, but still very soft. I called the vet again and we decided to switch over her food from Science Diet to Eukanuba Large Breed Puppy. The vet also said that we can give her 1-2mg Imodium after a loose stool to help keep her comfortable. Well, this is were we are now. Maddy is now on 100% Eukanuba and her BM's are still terrible. I know that changing her food can cause this too, I'm not expecting miracles, but she just seems to be getting worse. Yesterday we had to give her an Imodium, but it really didn't seem to help either. Through out all of this, the vet said that as long as her activity and appetite didn't change, and that she kept gaining weight and wasn't dehydrated, then it wasn't an emergency. The vet is starting to think that it may just be a puppy thing and that she'll grow out of it. I feel so bad for her, though. You can tell she's uncomfortable and sometimes she has to run outside just to make it in time. It's sad. Well, my point is, since it might just be a "puppy thing" has anyone else experienced this? Maddy is my first dog, I'm new to all this and very concerned. Another question....Do sugary treats give dogs diarrhea? She's lost all her back teeth so we've been giving her these soft treats from Petco's self-serve bar. The other day I took a nibble of one (I know that's disgusting, but it didn't smell like a normal dog treat so I tried it) and to my surprise, it was REALLY sweet! That can't be good, right? We only use those treats for training because she's having a hard time chewing anything hard and she can eat them fast. Any thoughts? Well, thanks in advance for your help. Any thoughts, advice, suggestions, similar situations, etc. would be GREATLY appreciated! Jen and her sick pup, Maddy |
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| Hi Jen and Maddy:
I think that anyone who has a sheepie has experienced the problems with diarrhea. Have you tried giving Maddy yogurt (or acidophilus pills if she doesn't like yogurt)? This can help keep the intestinal tract filled with "friendly" bacteria. Our vet recommends this after Baxter has had any antibiotics or other medications that can affect his stomach. As for the food, try a rice diet for a few days (white rice with boiled chicken chunks or ground beef for flavor). You may also want to try the potato diet: 50% white potatoes, 50% sweet potatoes, a slice of turnip and a slice of leek, all boiled and then mixed with boiled chicken or lamb for flavor. Once the diarrhea subsides, gradually ease Maddy back on to a regular diet. I found that both of these diets where very effective when my last sheepie was going through chemotherapy and had diarrhea. Last, for treats - I've been using Solid Gold Tiny Tots. They are very soft (makes it easy for training), high quality treats. However, they are not cheap. Again, these were recommended by my holistic vet. Good Luck Jennifer & Baxter |
| I'd have to agree to the reply above. When Max had diarreha, I fed him white rice and chicken or beef, and mixed in the white immodium. He still gets it once in awhile, but we think its just from chewing on the grass etc. Eating grass causes it pretty quickly. I would think something is causing it, but your vets quess it as good as mine. Good Luck! |
| as far as the bloody and mucus, i wouldnt be too alarmed. many dogs strain when they get too anxious. im guessing thats what happened when you took your pup to pet smart, a big place with lots of people and dogs can be very exciting for a little pup. |
| Í don't want to scare you, but I think you need to be aware that this does sound like parvovirus. You are lucky she has survived, because many puppies don't. Pet stores often have viruses running rampant through their animals, and since you said many or all of the other puppies there had diarreah as well, it sounds like a virus. A bacterial infection would have likely cleared up by now. Viral infection medications are not really to clear up the virus, as this can't be done yet, but it is a preventative to stop any secondary infections. The good news is, if she has survived it(which it sounds like she is) she may be immune to it for life, the bad news is parvovirus can live for a very long time in the environment. Extensive bleaching of all surfaces is required to kill the virus. There is a blood titer that can be done to measure the amount of virus in your pups system, but knowing this really doesn't help you much, as it is up to the pups strength, and your loving care to help her get through this that is needed. I may be completely wrong, but this is just what it sounds like to me. I'm hoping your lucky and it's just worms. If so, a couple doses of deworming medication will do the trick (one dose only kills what is present, another dose is required to get rid of the larvae that will hatch) and it just may take a little while for your pups sensitive system to recuperate. Good luck, welcome to the board! |
Willowsprite I was thinking the same about the parvo. Sadly we lost a puppy that had parvo a few years ago. My son and I surpised everyone when we brought Lucky home from one of his baseball games. A lady had a litter of pups she was giving away and I could not resist. Drake started of with loose stool then next the blood then the dehidration, it was just awful he was gone within 48 hours. He was a great little guy and the kids still talk about him, I was amazed at how close we got to him in such a short time. Hope all works out well.  |
| Thank you all for your thoughts.
As for the parvo, her records from the pet store say she was vaccinated for it. I don't have her papers in front of me, but I'm positive that's what it said. But it can't hurt to mention it to the vet. And thank you Jennifer for the post about the treats. Maddy and I start Puppy Kindergarten tonight, so I just rushed out and bought those Solid Gold Tiny Tots! I'm so happy to have found a healthy alternative! I hope she likes them! I think I'm gonna stick with the Eukanuba for a week and see if things get better. If not, we're gonna try the ground beef and rice. Is it half ground beef and half rice? Oh, one other question. Do I have to switch her to this gradually or do I go right to it and then right back to Eukanuba when she's better? The yogurt idea also made sense to me. Any thoughts on how much and how often? Thanks again for all the advice! Jen and Maddy |
| As far as being vaccinated for it, unfortunately that doesn't always help. The vaccine is only about 60% effective.(not absolutely sure on this statistic?) And if the pup was vaccinated after exposure it would make no difference at all. Being vaccinated might be what has enabled her to survive it. And the suggestions about ground beef and rice are very good to help with diarreah, as are the yogurt etc. I would be careful to do anything you do gradually. |
| I agree with Willowsprite. This doesn't sound like anything that she will "grow out of" like your Vet suggested. I would be very concerned about Parvo as well. The other thing you may want to look into is an allergy. Bloody Diarrhea is NEVER a good thing! It is always a reason for concern. I would have the Vet investigate Parvovirus and if you don't get anywhere with that - I would recommend a second opinion.
Here's a link for some information on Parvo... http://www.lbah.com/Canine/Parvo.html#symptoms Parvo is contagious - so until you figure out the nature of her illness - I wouldn't bring her around other animals. Good LUck and please keep us posted! I'll be praying for Maddy. I know how scary it is when they are so sick. Kristen |
| I would probably give Maddy a couple of tablespoons of yogurt (plain or vanilla) in the morning and repeat in the evening.
As for the rice and beef or chicken - it probably works out to 2/3 rice, 1/3 meat (approximately). FYI - about 1 pound of ground meat is equal to 2 cups. I would just start right out with it and gradually (once the diarrhea subsided) start using Eukanuba again. You may also want to give Maddy some ester C, 250mg once a day should be fine. (available in any health food store). This can boost her immune system and help her fight whatever is going on. Ester C is easier on the stomach than regular vitamin C. Please keep us informed as to how she is doing. Jennifer & Baxter |
| Hi,
I would definitely seek another opinion too especially since you are not getting quick improvements. You said it was your first dog...not sure if it's your first pet and sometimes it takes a while to find a good veternarian. One good thing though is that you live in Warrington, PA which is very close to the University of Pennsylvania Animal Hospital. If you're not getting positive improvement soon, you may want to look into going there. They are one of the best Animal Hospitals in the country and many vets in our area are trained there. |
Hi I just stumbled on this post...and LOL it sounds very familair  although in Pisco`s case it wasn`t Parvo but at first the vet did rule as a puppy thing...then said it was the lack of digestive ensyma ....then back to just puppy thing...changed vet and that one hit on target.....maybe you would like to see my post on "worried about Pisco" on Health subject....would link to it but not sure how....but you can also try a home remedy (now very known in the forum) rice water...boil rice in a lot of water...before the water dries...remove it (the water), let it cool and give it to your puppy.....it does a lot of good, it`s natural and works. |
| Hi everyone,
Thanks for all of the great advice. We've been to the vet so I thought I'd follow-up. On Monday, after I read your posts about Parvo, I was discussing the possibility with my mother (she works in the office for the pet store where we got Maddy). To my surprise, she said that she just found out that a puppy from their store was just diagnosed with Parvo! I was shocked and really scared. On Tuesday I called the vet and told them about the puppy with Parvo. They suggested I bring Maddy in to get tested. Meanwhile, Maddy was acting very lathargic and began vomitting bile. I was a wreck, convinced she was dying of Parvo! Don't worry, things get better. When we got to the vet, she said that she really doubts that it could be Parvo. She said that Parvo doesn't "linger" around for a month, which would be the case with Maddy. Instead, she said we should change her to Purina's Hypoallergenic Vet Diet and do a fecal smear/gram stain test. She called me yesterday with the results. She said that there wasn't an excessive amount of bacteria in the fecal smear, not enough to justify putting her on antibiotics. The game plan now is to keep her on the new food for 10 weeks and re-evaluate her then. In the meantime, if she stops eating or begins vomitting again, she has to come in right away. If she still has diarrhea in 3 weeks, the vet thinks we should take x-rays and perform some blood work to see if she has some kind of digestive problem. Well, that's that! So far Maddy seems ok (except for the ever persistant diarrhea!). Is anyone out there familiar with this Purina Hypoallergenic food? I'm a little concerned because there is no source of meat in it. All of the protein comes from grains. I thought it was important that they get most of their protein from meat sources while they are growing? Thanks again for all the advice. We really appreciate it! Jen and Maddy |
| Jen that was my concern with Hill`s Perscription Diet I/D witch I have to give Pisco por a poor digestive system, and lack of ensymas.....but It has worked wonders with him, He is eating very good and his stool is much better, he has gotton diarrhea only once and that was after he stole some chicken from the counter, I still give him Hill`s mixed with his old Proplan and the improvement has been wonderfull. |
| ::exhaling::
Phew! Glad to hear it wasn't Parvo. Parvo usually takes on really quickly. 
The puppies will be OK with a grain for protein only diet. Some Vegans and vegetarians raise their pets as vegetarians as well. However, if after Maddy's digestive system has matured and you don't feel comfortable with the PHVD - ask your Vet what he/she recommends you switch to. Poor babies! It must be awful to have a tummy ache and diarrhea for so long!  |
| UGH! Now we have another problem!
On Friday Maddy stopped eating the new PHVD food. I had some ground beef and rice in the fridge so we gave her some of that and she ate it. Perhaps she doesn't like the taste of the PHVD? Anyhow, since she liked the ground beef and rice we decided to stick with that for a couple of days and see where it gets us. Now she's NOT POOPING! It has been 24 hours since her last BM (at which time it was solid but mucusy...how disgusting!). I was just thinking, maybe this is normal? We've been so used to her going 5 or 6 times a day with the diarrhea that I don't really know what is normal! Any thoughts on the matter? Thanks again for all your help, Jen and Maddy |
| Boy Jen, you can't win! The rice has probably now made her constipated - I would decrease the rice and go with more hamburger! If she doesn't go soon - I would call the Vet and see if you can give her something to speed up the process.
Did you see that information about Giardia - did you happen to have her tested for that already? The minute I saw it - I thought of you guys! Kristen |
| LOL jen...it happened to Pisco as well after a lot of rice I gave him one day.....but yes...it is worring both ways.....
...although you said Maddy has been dewormed I was thinking of my own experience.....Pisco had been dewormed but it seems he had has only one dose (depending on the med, sometimes it`s 2 doses) with no follow up.....that has caused that the larvae he has inside didn`t die and grew into worms so....now I had given him one does and in 15 days he will get his second dose....ask your vet about it... if Maddy`s stool is soft/firm but has mucus it is a sign of something wrong with the intestines and stomach...usually asociated with some kind of infection not always acompanied with fever.I think it is called entherocolitis/gastroentheritis....you should insisit on a fecal study...it usually done in a series of 3. I do really hope Maddy gets better I know it`s hard on them and you. vero. |
| Jen,
How is it going? |
| On Tuesday her diarrhea got really bad again. She couldn't even hold it! Every hour we had to run outside so she could go. I spoke to the vet and we decided to remove the ground beef completely and stick with the rice and HA. The vet said that if she wasn't better by Thursday, then she needs to have blood work done.
Shortly after speaking with the vet, Maddy started vomitting. She got sick 3 times and then was very lathargic for the rest of the night. I thought she was dying. She wasn't eating or drinking either. We were about to take her to the emergency vet, but she started getting better - more active than before. I spoke with the vet on Wednesday and we decided that she needs to have some blood work done this weekend. They are going to do a "mal-absorption/digestion" study along with some other blood chemistry tests. The vet is beginning to think she has something wrong with her pancreas or small intestine, maybe she's not producing a hormone or enzyme that she needs for digestion. So that's where we're at today. She's still a little constipated with the rice, but overall her BM's are still not good. There is definetly something wrong with her, not just a food allergy. I'm so concerned for several reasons. This can't be good for her development, she's not even 6 months old yet. We want to get her spayed asap but that doesn't seem possible. I'm also concerned with the costs. Of course we'll do what ever we have to, but things have gotten so expensive already and we've only had her 2 months. Sigh....sometimes you just can't win! Thanks for all the support and I'll let you know how the blood work goes. Jen and Maddy |
| Jennifer,
I'm sorry to hear that Maddy has had a setback! My heart goes out to you! I'll be thinking of Maddy and pray that her health improves and you are able to enjoy a happy, healthy little girl for many years to come! Hugs to Maddy! Hang in there and Good Luck with the tests! Kristen |
| Soundsw like giardia to me, she needs to be tested. This doesnt show up in a fecal float, and coming from a pet store its very likely. |
| Sounds exactly the same as what my puppy had.......coccidia. It produces stools that are the consistency of pudding with mucous and blood. At one point my pup was going every half hour. Most become dehydrated and some die. Mine was put on deworming medicine until the stool sample results came back which showed she had the coccidia parasite. It's very contagious among puppies which is probably why all the pups in the store had it. Once you clear it up in a week with sulfa medication, it can come back from them being reinfested again from the areas where they have pooped. Cleaning the yard is impossible and the parasite even withstands freezing. I found giving my pup canned pumpkin and yogurt in her food helped. Whenever she got stressed though she would get soft stools again. Mention Coccidosis to your vet and see if that the problem. They destroy the intestines if not treated. |
| To Maddys Mommy,
We have a sick Puppy too. Everyday its something new. Its not easy to be first time parents. We have gone through the bloodwork and fecal too. We have been to four different vets. Now we just give her Science Diet and rice and apples really help. Natural Yogurt with her breakfast and not too many dog treats. You shouldn't take her to Pet Smart again until she's feeling better. At that age they pick up everything. Try not to worry around her. She can feel your anxiety. |
| Hi Jen
I am glad to hear that I am not the only one! I have recently purchased a male PomPoo (Pomeranium/Poodle) and he is 8 weeks old. I got him from a farm here in Manitoba, Canada. He is full of energy and loves to play. Although I noticed shortly after getting him that he was really straining when he had a bowel movement. The initial visit to the vet determined that he in fact, had diarreah. The vet put him on Neorease. My fiancee and I tried this medication for 2 1/2 days and he did not get any better. I took him back to the Vet and the Vet put him on what is called Metronidazole. This medication is a lot more pleasant tasting for him and is a little stronger for whatever is causing the diarreah. Anyway, he has been on this antibiotic for about 4-5 days and there seems to be little improvement. The only improvement I would say is that he is more playful and has a bigger appetite which is good, but I am still pretty concerned about his health the Vet requested that I have a stoll sample sent to the University for testing which I thought was a good idea, but I really would like to see if this medication can make a difference before putting out a lot of money (that I don't have ) I am also a new puppy owner and have never owned a pup before (man are they ever a lot of work!) Anyway, Hemi (my pup) still has about 5 days tp go on his Metronidazole and I hope that it will have a positive effect. I hope that Maddy is doing okay and that his condition improves!! 
Janine (from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada) |
| GOOD luck- we hope Maddy feels better.
We used Pumpkin (raw in the can from the store) and Kaopectate and that is what finally cleared up Chippers issue!!! Feel better and hang in there Maddy! |
| Am about one month ahead of you with the exact same problem. Blood in stool is no big issue unless it's regular. I found whipworm in my pup's stool and she was treated for it. This helped, but still soft stool with "emergency out" way too often. Vet gave her the dog version of powdered yogurt (one month supply, on food, twice a day). It has been a miracle. She now has normal stool, normal smell and normal amounts of bms. Patience is the only way to go with this problem! This powder is about to run out and vet says just start feeding yogurt (with live culture) in the morning with her breakfast. It will do the same thing with the bonus of being really good for her hair and skin.
Good luck with your baby! Mine is 4.5 months, and 35 pounds. That's a lot of cleaning up at the best of times never mind when there's a problem. |
| my puppy Luna has been up and down with diarrhea as well.
I've tired alot of different things, but what helped most was getting a new vet. I searched til I found one that had a good deal of knowledge with the breed. There are a vew tricky things that can be OES specific. And really, before you keep on with all the different medicines, you will want to read this: http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/depts-VCPL/ There's a small percentage of OES that suffer from Multi-drug sensitivity. Some meds can cause your dog to remain ill, or even die. Immodium is one of those meds. So is are many anit-parasite drugs. My vet has ordered the test for my girl, as we suspect her being on Revolution is what has been causing her consistant diarrhea. You might want to print out this info and take it to your vet. |
Quote: Vet gave her the dog version of powdered yogurt (one month supply, on food, twice a day). It has been a miracle. Maybe a form of probiotic? It helps to keep the beneficial bacteria in the gut. Even more important if a dog is on an antibiotic. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Probiotic There are some different ones out there... my pack gets a probiotic and digestive enzyme with each meal- http://firstchoicenaturals.com/Index/sh ... d-50?gid=4 As with anything, check with a vet first... holistic vets seem to be more knowledgeable about nutritional needs but some conventional vets are also good. Quote: There's a small percentage of OES that suffer from Multi-drug sensitivity.
You can also do this test yourself. You can request a kit here- http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/vcpl/test.aspx The collection procedure is pretty straight forward... just collect the sample properly and wash your hands between dogs so you don't cross contaminate- http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/vcpl/instructions.aspx . I tested all of mine... all 6 were normal/normal. It costs $60 per dog... less for 5 or more... and they email you the results. |
| I would ask your vet if it would be okay to put her on a rice and chicken diet, not alot but a little. Cook this yourself. A family member did this and it seemed to really help!
Just a suggestion |
Anonymous wrote: Sounds exactly the same as what my puppy had.......coccidia. It produces stools that are the consistency of pudding with mucous and blood. At one point my pup was going every half hour.
I thought the same thing - Morgan came from the breeder with cocidia (as did all the other puppies from that breeder). It spread to our other dogs quickly and took a while to clean up. We live inthe country and as it is common with barnyard animals our vet picked it up right away. |
tuttle1 wrote: I would ask your vet if it would be okay to put her on a rice and chicken diet, not alot but a little. Cook this yourself. A family member did this and it seemed to really help!
Just a suggestion I always heard chicken sensiitivity is high in OES. One of my dogs now can't handle any of it. |
| After over a month of soft serve poo with my little puppy, I have finally found a cure. Kibbles and Bits!
I have spend over $300 in vet bills to find out that there was nothing wrong with the puppy. The vet felt that he may just be having a problem with digesting "bulk." I tried 4 different kinds of puppy food and even tried rice, immodium and pepto. A friend of ours said that their dog had some issues with diarrhea and that Kibbles and Bits was the only thing that seemed to help her. I stated our puppy on Kibbles and Bits on Saturday night and by Sunday evening, he was back to normal! Try it and see if it helps you! |
| I have a German Shepherd puppy. He is 8 wks. old and has diarrea since the day I got him. Same problems and also Eucanuba with blood --- this hit me on a few things in common. I went to the vet also and he received a injection and pills of amform (sp) and also seemed to get better. My other vet that can do more extentive things-- are filled up and can not get in. He is wormed, with no temp. and has an appetite. If I find out what is wrong I will let you know, would you do the same , please. Good Luck RA |
| My puppy has diarrhea also. He was diagnosed with Giardia based on stool sample. It is hard to get rid of. |
| I had the same problems with Daisey at 4 months old and i switched her to Wellness ocean brand and she was better almost the next day. She is 1.5 years old and the problem has never returned. I spent a ton on all the different tests and all it took was finding the right food. |
| MY DOG DONT FEEL GOOD PLEASE HELP WITH MY DOG |
TATITANA wrote: MY DOG DONT FEEL GOOD PLEASE HELP WITH MY DOG What is wrong with your dog? |
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