Clostridium (?) (loooong) (help please!)

[chelle]

Originally Posted by Lauri & The Gang

When dogs get loose stools after being switched to raw the first thing I ask the owner is "how much are you feeding?"

The #1 cause of loose stools in raw fed dogs is OVERfeeding.

Maybe that's true for kibble fed dogs?? I don't know since I don't feed it.

Maybe it's not the kibble but the AMOUNT you are feeding.

I'm sure you're right. It has been brought up quite a few times with my posts over the last months. Early on, I might've been guilty of that, as I was feeding the bag recommendation. After having it pointed out to me, though, I immediately cut that by about 20% as I also took into account activity level, treats, etc.

All I can say is I really, really, honestly do not believe I'm overfeeding him. I've been considering starting a post with some top and side views to get some opinions on his weight. Maybe that'll be more telling on whether I'm feeding too much.

~

Update: After a few days of medication, I was blessed with a nice stool this morning.! (Yes, I used the happy boogy emoticon for that, because I literally did a happy boogy dance myself. ) The first... "log" came out... PERFECT... then the next couple were softer, but formed and better! Oh yeah, I was out there with my tongs doing a full poop check.!

I never saw the day that I would feel joy -- true joy -- over dog poop, but yup, I felt it today.

On a side note... Bailey does not seem to like the Canidae ALS any too much, though. I had to do my rare night-shift last night, so bf was responsible for feeding. I had measured out Bailey's food, but bf did not add rice, as I've been doing lately. Bailey refused to eat. I got home and offered the food again. Nope. I added a half cup or so of rice to it, he ate it. Same thing this morning. Out of curiousity, I offered plain kibble and he refused. I added rice and he ate it. He is either getting spoiled on the added rice, or just plain doesn't like the Canidae.

[LisaT]

For Clostridium Difficile, you want a probiotic that contains Sacchromyces. I don't know about the other Clostridium that dogs tend to get, but maybe so.

[gsdmi]

I am a little late to the thread, sorry. About 3 years ago, we fostered a dog with Cholostridium (sorry on sp??). It did take a couple of fecal tests to determine what this was -- coming from a shelter we thought it was a normal parasite, and the fecal did indicate that. The cholostridium was "hidden" under the worms. After a couple courses of meds and it did not go away, the vet looked even closer. Once it was diagnosed, it still took a couple of months to completely clear her intestinal tract of it (she had it pretty severe). We would have a few good days, then liquid stools. Then a few good days, then soft, then good, then liquid.

Her system was very sensitive to grain based foods -- we started with rice/chicken to try and calm her tummy, and started to mix wtih a fish based grain free, and started to have a little more success. Eventually it did clear, the entire process (including time before diagnosis) was about 5 months. And of course, due to the long course of meds, we did use a digestive enzyme to help out. We saw her over Christmas, and she had never had a recurrence.

It may take a little time, but you are on the right track, good luck!

[Kyad02]

We have had great success with Solid Gold Wolf Cub puppy food for our five month old. Bison and fish are its meat sources. Agree avoiding chicken based kibble is a must. Also I see Taste of the Wild has a new puppy formula in both red meat and fish varieties. My older Shepherd is on TOTW and does real well on it. Both dogs have real solid "logs" 95% of the time.

[msvette2u]

Why avoid chicken based kibble?

[Kyad02]

It has given all three of my Sheps diahrea. They do much better on red meat and fish based kibble