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Diarrhea - and the "straight poop" thread

2K views 13 replies 6 participants last post by  Courtney 
#1 ·
Both my dogs came down with diarrhea about two days ago. I assume it's something they ate; oddly a third dog we were sitting was fine. They're on a raw-when-we-have-it, otherwise Origen kibble diet - unchanged for months. The only raw thing they've had for a few days was some pork neck bones, but "guest" dog #3 was also chewing them...

But both my dogs threw up (hours after their meal, well-digested kibble.) Just one incident of vomit, really. Then the diarrhea started. My boy, Caesar, just had it once or twice and seems to be okay.
Kalypso has had the runs literally every 2-3 hours since then. Which is very annoying in the middle of the night! I'm getting pretty good at flying out of bed though.

I guess we'll start to feed her pumpkin? What else should we do, and how long until we call the vet?

Thanks in advance. I'm typing this at 3:30AM. :p
 
#2 ·
My apologies for the lack of detail on the diarrhea: I would characterize it as thin chocolate pudding. "Watery" might be over-stating it, but it definitely puddles. And it stinks. And my poor girl farts very loudly as it's coming out.

She is otherwise acting normal but I know this can't be fun for her!
 
#3 ·
When mine come down with diarrhea I usually do white rice, pumpkin and boiled chicken. If that doesn't fix it in about a day I take a stool sample to the vet just to be sure. Then if things start to firm up I slowly mix kibble back in with the rice/pumpkin/boiled chicken. Mine usually eats pumpkin about once a day regardless.
 
#6 ·
Hmmm- I think it's odd that they both have diarrhea at the same time. It really does make you think it was something they ate - or a stomach bug.

I would fast - skip at least one meal - if not two. Offer water (don't want dehydration from the diarrhea) no gulping - sipping. Control the water intake. The gut needs a reset.
 
#7 ·
Yes. I know, right?

So Kali hasn't pooped since early this afternoon... still puddly diarrhea. But the timing is better.
Caesar hasn't pooped today at all.

They both had steamed brown rice / pumpkin / baked chicken for dinner. (All cut up in little pieces.)

Kali has been fine.
Caesar has thrown it all up. But the little kibble he ate this morning seems to have gone down okay.

Kali still acting normal.
Caesar (who is typically pretty low-energy already) seems even MORE low-energy... kind of like one would if one had puked four times in the last hour... :(

Edit - agree that fasting might be a good idea. No breakfast for them.
 
#10 ·
Have them both tested for Giardia using the snap test. The horrible smelling diarrhea is a very typical sign and symptoms can also include throwing up. It is easily treated with 10 days of Panacur, but, depending on the weather conditions, can live in your soil for awhile.
 
#11 ·
Of our past 3 GSD's pork was fine for 2 of them but never for #3! I think it was to rich/fatty for her and she had diarrhea and gas like you've described. But, none the less, always a good idea to get tested. Don't forget that pork needs to be frozen for at least a week before feeding raw.

Hope your baby gets better!
Moms :)
 
#12 ·
Does your vet allow you to just bring in stool samples for testing without an appointment? My vet allows me to bring them in at anytime I think it is $27 for a stool sample test. I use the 24 hour rule, if things don't seem to be getting better in 24 hours I run in a sample just to rule that out.
 
#13 ·
Today's update:
Usually in the morning I shower before taking them out. But today when I got up they both ran downstairs. I thought "awww, you guys aren't feeling well, I'll take you out first."
Kali is by the door.
Where is Caesar?
The cat is looking down into the basement. I think I hear a noise down there.
"Caesar?" (rustle rustle)
I go halfway down and he approaches the bottom of the stairs out of the dark.
"Eh?"
He comes up the stairs.
"What're you doing down there? You don't usually go in the basement... unless...."
--SPLAT--
He left a big brown puddle in the corner by the washing machine. :doh:

I put them out and clean it up. Blech!
But I realize that it's kind of dried up a bit....?

So *now* I'm thinking he must have gone down in the night, done his business in the pitch black, and come back up to his usual sleep spot. Then maybe gone down to check on it? lol

ANYWAY.

I made an appointment with the vet and left work early.

Caesar first. He was dehydrated. His stool sample was the bag of disgusting paper towels from the morning clean-up. Otherwise he was just a bit lethargic.
"Oh, look how quiet he is! He must not be feeling well at all," the vet said.
"No, that's pretty much how he is most of the time anyway. But I can see in his face he's not feeling 100%" I replied.
(we refer to Caesar as Eeyore quite a bit. lol)
Based on my detailed description of his symptoms, she gave me a week's worth of antibiotics with stomach soother. (Metronidazole, 250mg). We also gave him 500cc of subcutaneous saline.
I am always reluctant to give antibiotics, but he clearly has SOMETHING going on.
Chicken, (white) rice, and pumpkin until he's better.

Kali was next. Kali was her usual silly, energetic two year-old self. Her stool sample was a beautiful normal-looking orange-tinted (from the pumpkin) thing I picked up in the yard. The vet didn't even charge me for her exam because she seemed fine, though down a few pounds. I'm to give her the same rice-chicken-pumpkin diet for a few more days as well to make sure her stomach has an easy time of things.

She dug into her dinner with some gusto tonight. Caesar was a bit more tentative and didn't finish all of his. That's okay.

Hopefully neither of them will puke tonight!

Meanwhile, the stool samples will be tested for giardia and salmonella, just in case.
 
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