Emotional Diarrhea?

[Diana Erhart]

Charlie has always had a sensitive stomach.  He gets loose stools on a regular basis if he eats anything that is not his usual lamb lung treat or his usual food, and sometimes for reasons that I can't figure out.  The past week he has fluctuated between diarrhea and loose stools with just one or two normal poops.  We have had alot of thunderstorms this past week and he becomes anxioius and nervous during these times.  Today he had diarrhea in the house while we were gone.  He has only done this one time before when he was a puppy and was sick.  He is now six.  Even a few years ago when he had a multitide of bacterial infections in his digestive system at one time he never went in the house.  I made him some rice this evening but the only thing I had to put in it was some beef liver that I chopped very fine.  He has an intolerance to chicken.  I had given him some of this liver the other night.  I hope that isn't the cause.  Of course I am going to call the vet tomorrow, but tonight I was checking out some websites and several of them mentioned emotional diarrhea.  Has anyone ever heard of this before?  I guess it makes sense to a certain degree but how would you tell if that is the problem?  Just by process of elimination?  I feel bad for my poor, little boy.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Yes. At least one like liver, pancreas, brain. Hearts and muscular organs are not though.

[Jill, Woody & Maxi]

What type of food do you usually feed Charlie?  We are one of the DK'ers that is on Honest Kitchen, Embark...and I swear by it..I cant even remember how many different types of food we tried over the course of months...all resulting in diarrhea..very frustrating. Good luck to you, and definitely try the non-fat greek yogurt

[Kaytlin and Cooper]

Cooper gets a little diarrhea after a groom. She hates being groomed but is a good girl and lets me do it. other situations dont stress her, but I am careful about what she eats now after a big health scare where she had diarrhea for over a month on and off, and was loosing weight. She wasnt digesting protein. We  never really got to the bottom of it, but switching her from kibble back to raw and limiting the different kinds of treats worked for her. I would suggest getting blood work done and a fecal if it becomes a common issue with him, and limiting the kinds of treats and foods he gets which you already do

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Both of my Doods have IBS, and stress is definitely a trigger for them.  Any deviation from their normal schedule or anything that they find stressful can (and usually does) bring on an episode.  We were away at the beach this week on vacation and they both flared.  If I put them on nothing but white meat chicken and very well cooked white rice (no treats) for a few days it usually clears itself.  I know you can't feed chicken...how about turkey?  My guys also skip meals frequently when they're in the middle of an episode.  Murphy went two full days this week without eating, but he was drinking so I was able to keep him hydrated. 

[Diana Erhart]

I usually use ground beef that I have drained and wiped off with a paper towel but I didn't have any in the freezer last night.  I hadn't thought about turkey.  I may have to pick some up to have on hand.  Charlie regularly will go two or sometimes three days without eating.  He does drink though.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

You can also use scrambled eggs for a protein source. Very easy on most dogs' digestive tracts, and the protein in eggs is the most easily utilized of all animal proteins. We wouldn't usually think to mix scrambled eggs with rice, but it's fine.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I would keep some ground turkey in the freezer for these times.  I think the beef liver may be too rich.

[Maryann,Roo and Tigger]

Ouey..... sorry about the house, hope he managed to get to a hard surface. 

 

Some people ( how would I know? - you ask yourself) have the same problem.  Also heat, pool water, and just because.... 

My view is the intestinal system reflects not only what we ingest through our mouth, but through our ears, our nose (allergies to pollen etc) and can get constipated or diarrhea, depending on which way your system tends.  Tigger has a sensitive system.  I keep pumpkin, and probiotics on hand.  Pumpkin is great because, unlike rice it is not constipating and so you cannot get rebound diarrhea from getting too contipated.  It just produces consistent, soft stools. It doesn't hurt your dog to keep him on pumpkin for several weeks - through the thunderstorm season.   

[Diana Erhart]

No, I don't have that kind of luck.  There is only one room on our main floor with carpet and that is where he decided to go.   Oh well, I couldn't get mad at him since I knew he had to be sick since he hasn't done that since he was a puppy.  I have tried pumpkin with him before but he wouldn't eat it.  I may try again though cause it seems like some of his tastes have changed as he has gotten over.  Someone once recommended goat's milk and I know they carry that at one of the local pet stores.  Does anyone have an opinion on that?