doggie diarrhea

[LaurenBev]

Hi,
I recently adopted Leo, a 5 year old rescue bluetick coonhound. He HAD giardia when they first rescued him and it was cured for a few weeks before we adopted him. He had solid poops for the first few days when we first got him, but for about a week now, he's been having mostly diarrhea. I'm feeding him rice and chicken with a little bit of non-fat yogurt mixed in, to help with digestion and I'm putting about 1/2 of a cup of 'Natrual Choice chicken meal, rice and oatmeal formula' for dogs with sensitive stomachs to make sure he's getting the nutrients he needs. Sometimes, I even give him some Pepto Bismol - and still, diarrhea.

We're going to the vet on the 15th to get neutered, so if it's still going on then, I will ask his advice, but is there anything anyone can recommend in the meantime? Leo doesn't seem too affected by it, but coming home to a steaming pile of poo on my rug every afternoon is getting a bit tiresome. I only work 5 hours/day, so he's not even home alone for that long - he gets walked before and after work. He NEVER pooped in the house of his previous foster parents, so he's def housebroken - I just think he can't control it when the urge hits (who can?).

Oh, he has HORRENDOUS farts, too. Clears the room. Gag.

Any advice for me and my stinky pooch Leo?
Thanks, Lauren

p.s. If anyone can recommend a good carpet cleaning product, that would also help.

[LaurenBev]

Oh, I should add that Leo gets a small 'milkbone' treat after walks (so, 2-3 a day) and he chews on a rawhide bone sometimes too.

I read somewhere that I should 'fast' him for a day, but I think that would be harder on me than on him!

[Pit Bull Love]

I've handled quite a few dogs with sensitive tummies and yes, I do fast them for 24 hours if they have the runs and then start with a plain white rice meal and slowly over the next couple days start replacing it with their kibble. Is this the feeding method his foster home used or did you change his food? Personally, I'd cut out anthing extra like the milk bones until he's back settled. If you want to give him a treat, maybe try just a little kibble that he is already eating. One thing you can try that I've had great luck with is slippery elm bark. You can get it in health food stores, but Urban Carnivore also carries it.

[Chaser]

Don't feel bad about fasting him....I think WE feel terrible if our dogs don't eat for a day, but they really couldn't care less most of the time.

You can also try giving a tablespoon of plain canned pumpkin at each meal....helps to firm things up.

[LaurenBev]

His foster parents were feeding him just rice and chicken and yogurt. I've been trying to introduce the kibble slowly, to eventually replace the rice/chicken mixture, but he doesn't seem to be tolerating it very well. I've even pulled back a few days and put no kibble in there, and still - diarrhea. Maybe the fast is the answer to help us get back on track - poor guy - he LOVES to eat, but maybe it's best for the long run.

Pumpkin is interesting. Maybe I'll get some of that for when we let him eat again.

[rainbow]

I would take him in to see the vet before your appt. to have him neutered. There are a lot of things that could be causing the diarrhea and you would not be able to get him neutered if there was a health problem. Giardia is also known to sometimes reoccur:

Giardia is a very treatable condition. Most dogs recover quickly and do not have additional problems. However, if proper preventive steps are not taken, it is common for dogs with a previous history of Giardia to become re-infected.

Also if he was supposedly cured why was the foster family still feeding him chicken, rice and yogurt when you adopted him?

And when you do introduce the kibble again I would feed something other than Nutro's Natural Choice. Check out the Food Forum here and do a search on it as there has been alot of discussion about it.

A much better choice, imo, would be one of the California Natural formulas.

[LaurenBev]

Rainbow, thanks. I will call the vet in the morning to see if he can see us before the 15th. And, thanks for the food recommendation - I guess I just trusted that Nutro's was good, high quality food because the salesman told me it was! Your suggestion looks a lot more 'simple' and therefore probably healthier for my pup.

I don't *think* it's giardia recurring, because there are times when it's a little bit solid, and I'm under the impression that, if it were giardia, it would be like brown water coming out of him. Here's to hoping, anyway. Poor little guy... he's had such a rough go of it these past few weeks/months before he was rescued - we don't really even know what he's been through. All we know is that we love him, diarrhea and all!

[Tali]

Originally Posted by LaurenBev

Oh, I should add that Leo gets a small 'milkbone' treat after walks (so, 2-3 a day) and he chews on a rawhide bone sometimes too.

I read somewhere that I should 'fast' him for a day, but I think that would be harder on me than on him!

I'd try plain rice with a tablespoon(per day) of green or white clay. It will take care of intestinal problems. It's easily found at health food stores.

Tali

[Tali]

Originally Posted by LaurenBev

Oh, I should add that Leo gets a small 'milkbone' treat after walks (so, 2-3 a day) and he chews on a rawhide bone sometimes too.

I read somewhere that I should 'fast' him for a day, but I think that would be harder on me than on him!

After fasting for 24 hours,I'd try plain rice with a tablespoon(per day) of green or white clay for three days. It will take care of intestinal problems. It's easily found at health food stores.

Tali

[SnowDancer]

I would call the vet - and then ask about feeding your pup Hill's Canned I/D (also comes in kibble). In the U.S. not sure if it is sold as Hill's or as Science Diet - but you can only buy it from the vet. This worked for my dog when he had a problem so I always keep a couple of cans on hand, just in case. Certainly the food suggestions made by the other posters will work, but many people start off with the chicken and rice and then give up and just by the I/D - dogs love it and it is easy - particularly the dog loving it part.

[Folkwitch]

I'd avoid the rawhide as well, my mutt has a very sensitive stomach and they give him the runs big-time, not to mention the worst gas ever (the kind that wakes you up at night).

[TKW]

For carpet cleaning, 'Nature's Miracle' available at Petsmart work really well for pet accident.

I second those posters who suggested seeing a vet before the 15th. If your pup hasn't stop his diarrhea, I'd reschedule the operation until he's healthy again. All the food advice you've got here are good. But if he is not back to normal in a day or two, a vet visit is in order.