Has a complete set of blood work been done? Electrolytes may be off. Ionized calcium (which is not often checked) may be out of range. Tick diseases may lead to neural issues. Previous ‘old’ damage or minor defects of the vertebrae, discs or spinal cord may become more significant with age. A good chiropractor or, as previously mentioned, acupuncturist may be able to help. If you feel that it really is not due to aging, a visit with a neurologist might help.
Diarrhea is Back
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So since Friday it has been really hot here… about 35 c (95F). We've gone outside for about an hour in the early morning before it's gotten hot... it would probably be about 18c at that time. Then we walk at about 9pm for an hour. During the day he's only outside for bathroom breaks and then is taken inside again. Today after lunch his BM was a little looser and then his BM after dinner squirted and was a lot more pale and looser. He's been eating his kibble (1/4 cup) three times a day. This morning I just gave him his kibble without anything added. For lunch I added chopped carrots and a little bit of olive oil. Then after his afternoon BM i gave him two teaspoons of yam and then at dinner I mixed another teaspoon in with his kibble. I read online to feel their gums and if they're tacky then he's dehydrated... his gums are tacky and I've been trying to get him to drink more water (it's been available to him day and night) but he's mostly uninterested. He's acting normally, right now he's digging in his bed and being hyper. I don't know if I should walk him tonight and what else I can do for him. I read that you can mix in probiotic powder into their food or water. Is this a dog supplement you have to buy or can I break apart my probiotic vitamin capsule and use that? What else can I do to help my pup? I feel horrible that I didn't take a stool sample in, I thought it was just his old food since it cleared up quickly. If i do take one tomorrow, does it have to be fresh? What do I put it in? Can it be picked up from the grass or do I somehow have to catch it as he's going? Thanks for all your patience... I feel like a bad mommy
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It should be fresh, you can use a baggie or take a spoon and put some (they only need a small amount) is a plastic container. OR you can stop by your Vet and ask for a container for a stool sample.
I would not try "home" treatments until he is seen by a Vet. Maybe you can get his appointment moved up
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Hi there…. you say that it's "back"... for how long has your dog had diarrhea? My Lola is 2 and 1/2 and her disposition seemed normal, but she had diarrhea- it went from being (kind of gross to describe but)... like pale soft-serve ice cream to her signaling to us that she HAD to go by pacing... and then the minute she was outside, she went very quickly. The last night she had this condition, she went in the house, and it was horribly smelly, mucus-like, and very dark. I was afraid that it was blood, so I took her to the vet... they had her caged all day and called me to ask what was wrong, because her disposition was very friendly? They did a stool test and determined she had giardia, most likely from licking grass, or other dog's rears at the dog park....
They gave me a chalky oral medicine (panacur), as well as metronidazole. One of the medicines was supposed to wipe out all bacteria in her digestive system, so they gave a probiotic supplement from Purina to sprinkle on her food. Concerning food, the vet recommended that I take her off of regular food (Nutro) and put her on a rice and boiled chicken diet.
I really think you should call your vet and see if they can do some inexpensive tests... if they need a stool sample, you don't have to "catch it"... you can simply pick it up with a baggy and seal it inside.
And you aren't a bad mommy! If your dog does have giardia like Lola had, the only think that can get rid of it is drugs~ I don't know of a holistic way to cure him.
Good luck!
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Hi there…. you say that it's "back"... for how long has your dog had diarrhea? My Lola is 2 and 1/2 and her disposition seemed normal, but she had diarrhea- it went from being (kind of gross to describe but)... like pale soft-serve ice cream to her signaling to us that she HAD to go by pacing... and then the minute she was outside, she went very quickly. The last night she had this condition, she went in the house, and it was horribly smelly, mucus-like, and very dark. I was afraid that it was blood, so I took her to the vet... they had her caged all day and called me to ask what was wrong, because her disposition was very friendly? They did a stool test and determined she had giardia, most likely from licking grass, or other dog's rears at the dog park....
They gave me a chalky oral medicine (panacur), as well as metronidazole. One of the medicines was supposed to wipe out all bacteria in her digestive system, so they gave a probiotic supplement from Purina to sprinkle on her food. Concerning food, the vet recommended that I take her off of regular food (Nutro) and put her on a rice and boiled chicken diet.
I really think you should call your vet and see if they can do some inexpensive tests... if they need a stool sample, you don't have to "catch it"... you can simply pick it up with a baggy and seal it inside.
And you aren't a bad mommy! If your dog does have giardia like Lola had, the only think that can get rid of it is drugs~ I don't know of a holistic way to cure him.
Good luck!
Thanks for your reply. I received Basil from the breeder about three weeks ago… for the first week I had him he had a loose stool every time and went about 10 times a day. During this time he was on Ol' Roy food which the breeder had him on. After that week I switched him to Orijen and his loose stool cleared right up... he was having regular stools and now only goes once after every meal usually and might go one more time in the evening. The loose stool only came back this afternoon. Could he still have giardia? Does it come and go usually? No matter what I'll be calling the vet tomorrow but I'm just wondering what your experience is. His BM is how you described except it's not dark... it's like soft serve ice cream but is lighter than his normal BM's are. Also when he starts it sometimes makes a spitting sound (sorry if that's gross). I just got in from picking up all the poop in the backyard and noticed that his last one still had the chunks of carrots in it. Does this mean he didn't properly digest the carrot? Could it have not agreed with him? The carrot was given at lunch time feeding.
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It should be fresh, you can use a baggie or take a spoon and put some (they only need a small amount) is a plastic container. OR you can stop by your Vet and ask for a container for a stool sample.
I would not try "home" treatments until he is seen by a Vet. Maybe you can get his appointment moved up
Thank you for your reply, I'll ask to move up the appointment tomorrow. Should I walk him tonight or let him rest?
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I would definitely get Basil in to the vet as soon as you can…. if you've only had him for 3 weeks, then you don't know what environment he's been exposed to before you got him, and what parasites and worms he's been exposed to.
Ol' Roy is made for and only available at Wal-Mart. I may sound snotty here, but it's okay for my kids to eat Sam's Choice macaroni, or for me to have Equate aspirin... but I don't want my basenji to have Ol' ROy. I want my basenji to have something I know is good for his health. I agree with switching him to a brand name, which normally ends up in less waste (and less smelly doody when all is well).
Carrots are good for dogs- I learned this with Lola too! One night, I made a bunch of cooked carrots, and fed her the leftovers. When she pooped out the carrots, she pooped out worms too... and according to the internet, there is something in carrots that cause the worms that are stuck to their intestine to detach... and away they went! It was VERY gross, to say the least.... there was one long white worm stuck in her bum, and when I pulled it out, she SCREAMED.... it was about 12 inches long.
If Basil has giarrdia, it has to be treated with meds. Lola's BMs were, until that last night, paler than the food color and went from being soft serve to the spits, as you describe it, lol. Her BM became very stinky on that last night~
In addition to the vet, I'd also suggest switching to a plain rice and boiled chicken diet. It doesn't sound very exciting, but there's something soothing to their stomachs when they eat plain rice and chicken.
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I would definitely get Basil in to the vet as soon as you can…. if you've only had him for 3 weeks, then you don't know what environment he's been exposed to before you got him, and what parasites and worms he's been exposed to.
Ol' Roy is made for and only available at Wal-Mart. I may sound snotty here, but it's okay for my kids to eat Sam's Choice macaroni, or for me to have Equate aspirin... but I don't want my basenji to have Ol' ROy. I want my basenji to have something I know is good for his health. I agree with switching him to a brand name, which normally ends up in less waste (and less smelly doody when all is well).
Carrots are good for dogs- I learned this with Lola too! One night, I made a bunch of cooked carrots, and fed her the leftovers. When she pooped out the carrots, she pooped out worms too... and according to the internet, there is something in carrots that cause the worms that are stuck to their intestine to detach... and away they went! It was VERY gross, to say the least.... there was one long white worm stuck in her bum, and when I pulled it out, she SCREAMED.... it was about 12 inches long.
If Basil has giarrdia, it has to be treated with meds. Lola's BMs were, until that last night, paler than the food color and went from being soft serve to the spits, as you describe it, lol. Her BM became very stinky on that last night~
In addition to the vet, I'd also suggest switching to a plain rice and boiled chicken diet. It doesn't sound very exciting, but there's something soothing to their stomachs when they eat plain rice and chicken.
That does sound gross!
I hope he'll be alright. I'll try the rice and chicken, thank you. Should I not feed him until I call the vet? So maybe skip tomorrow morning's feeding? -
I only feed mine once a day, at noon~ well, they get light table scraps at dinner (i.e. real vegetables and meat- no starch, cheese, or bread). How many times do you feed Basil?
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I only feed mine once a day, at noon~ well, they get light table scraps at dinner (i.e. real vegetables and meat- no starch, cheese, or bread). How many times do you feed Basil?
Basil is 11 weeks old and is still fed three times a day… He just had another BM and although it's still lighter, it seems to be more formed than his last BM.
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There are many breeders on here that may pipe in to give you an opinion on the number of feedings for your little boy… mine are 1.5 and 2.5 years old (born in December), so they only eat once a day.
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I have never fed once a day in over, well I am in my 50s, just never. I have posted research especially on smaller breeds and keeping blood sugars level. In the wild, canids eat as often as they can find food. A lot of "natural" feeders feed several times a day. I just know that so many dogs throw up bile on once a day food. Of course your scraps at night help, but I just cannot imagine doing once a day feeding, Patty. I am not going to bother to post research because obviously people do what they feel works. However, with an 11 wk old pup (and I am horrified at the ol roy … snob here too, makes me wonder about what else the "breeder" cut corners on) needs 3 meals a day still.
Probiotics if your "vitamins" are JUST healthy bacteria, would be fine. If they actually also contain vitamins, no. The best I have found for a case of diarrhea is fastrack in the tube. But I give the liquid dispersible all the time. I do order that or drive over and get it.
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I have never fed once a day in over, well I am in my 50s, just never. I have posted research especially on smaller breeds and keeping blood sugars level. In the wild, canids eat as often as they can find food. A lot of "natural" feeders feed several times a day. I just know that so many dogs throw up bile on once a day food. Of course your scraps at night help, but I just cannot imagine doing once a day feeding, Patty. I am not going to bother to post research because obviously people do what they feel works. However, with an 11 wk old pup (and I am horrified at the ol roy … snob here too, makes me wonder about what else the "breeder" cut corners on) needs 3 meals a day still.
Probiotics if your "vitamins" are JUST healthy bacteria, would be fine. If they actually also contain vitamins, no. The best I have found for a case of diarrhea is fastrack in the tube. But I give the liquid dispersible all the time. I do order that or drive over and get it.
So when they recommend probiotics, would that be found at the pet store or do you have to get it from the vet? Is it something that you can give regularly or only on an emergency basis?
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The tubes are more expensive. I use them when whelping (literally give a squirt the moment they get out of the sack and have never had diarrhea in a litter since I began) and when a dog gets diarrhea. The liquid dispersible is powder I give routinely to help keep gut healthy. With the Rotties, I have to be honest… I did it to get rid of their "gas" issues. It was miraculous. You can use yogurt, but it takes massive amts to give what 1/4 ts fastrack does and is far less cost efficient and some dogs have issue with yogurt.
I know Canada has their own distributor but here is the company
http://www.conklin.com/site/agrotrak/SLEDHUNTINGDOGS.cfm -
It should be fresh, you can use a baggie or take a spoon and put some (they only need a small amount) is a plastic container. OR you can stop by your Vet and ask for a container for a stool sample.
I would not try "home" treatments until he is seen by a Vet. Maybe you can get his appointment moved up
+1 to this!
Since it is recurring, he needs to be seen by a vet. It could be giardia, it could be worms, it could be the carrots, it could be lots of things…I would worry about "squirting" diarrhea and dehydration - especially at his age. Please take him to the vet and worry about the home remedies (probiotics, etc) after the vet has given an ok.
I know that canned pumpkin/yams/etc. don't agree with one of my b-kids and actually made diarrhea worse. There are probiotics you can buy in a pet store - Solid Gold SeaMeal comes to mind...whole yogurt also - but with a puppy I would be careful how much of anything I give and would get the vet opinion first.
Oh, and carrots I only give as a treat since they are high in sugar - so I limit those.
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So this morning I phoned the vet and they said to bring him in. I went tonight after work. The vet said that Basil has some bacteria growth (I gave a stool sample) but it doesn't show anything as far as giardia or anything else specifically but she said it could be that it's too early to tell. She also felt that his gums were a little sticky and as I thought, a little dehydrated. She gave us antibiotics to take twice a day. She recommended that I stay on the rice, boiled chicken and yam diet for the next 4-5 days and to slowly wean him back onto his kibble within 4-5 days after that. Other than the diarrhea, she said Basil is doing well with the rest of his health. She said to bring him in immediately if he has any bloody stool or if he seems depressed or loses his appetite. She said it could be early signs of parvo? But she was doubtful that it was because he's still very hyper and has a great appetite. She also suggested that we do not go on walks at all or interact with any dogs other than the one at home. She said we can still play outside in the backyard; however, i'm not sure if we should because of the heat… it's up around 40c today and is supposed to be like that tomorrow as well.
Cross your fingers for Basil... I hope he's alright... poor boy
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Your vet and you will make the best decisions for Basil! As for the rice/chicken diet, I have a rice cooker and I made this wonderful concoction in it for my Lola- my son wondered what smelled so good?
I'm glad to hear that Basil doesn't have giardia, but what I've read (disclaimer: I'm not a Vet, just an Internet researcher!)…. giardia can be often undiagnosed because it will "present" and "unpresent" itself in the stools. I only tell you this because if Basil has recurring symptoms, don't be afraid to ask for another giardia test to ensure it's not hibernating (again, I read that it can happen)...You are doing great, and in my book, you are SO far away from the "bad mommy" list... you love this little imp as if he was your own...
Although can we see pictures of him, please?
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Your vet and you will make the best decisions for Basil! As for the rice/chicken diet, I have a rice cooker and I made this wonderful concoction in it for my Lola- my son wondered what smelled so good?
I'm glad to hear that Basil doesn't have giardia, but what I've read (disclaimer: I'm not a Vet, just an Internet researcher!)…. giardia can be often undiagnosed because it will "present" and "unpresent" itself in the stools. I only tell you this because if Basil has recurring symptoms, don't be afraid to ask for another giardia test to ensure it's not hibernating (again, I read that it can happen)...You are doing great, and in my book, you are SO far away from the "bad mommy" list... you love this little imp as if he was your own...
Although can we see pictures of him, please?
The vet said I believe that they may re-test on Saturday… but I'm not 100% sure but I could discuss that with her. Thank you for the reassurance
I've tried posting pictures but the forum doesn't like them.. i'll keep trying! -
Your pictures may be too big in resolution… try to re-size them to a smaller size and then re-posting?
For the record, the Purina pro-biotics are called Forti-Flora, by prescription use only (but GIVEN to me by my vet for Lola)...
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Your pictures may be too big in resolution… try to re-size them to a smaller size and then re-posting?
For the record, the Purina pro-biotics are called Forti-Flora, by prescription use only (but GIVEN to me by my vet for Lola)...
Thanks Patty. I posted two pictures under "update of basil" in the Basenji Talk heading.
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Your pictures may be too big in resolution… try to re-size them to a smaller size and then re-posting?
For the record, the Purina pro-biotics are called Forti-Flora, by prescription use only (but GIVEN to me by my vet for Lola)...
Not so, I have purchased Forti-Flora via the internets for quite a while. So not just by prescription
