Hershey squirts

[Dennis Sheridan]

My doodle puppy Topper seems to have a problem, it's what my wife calls Hershey squirts i.e. he has very loose bowels and squirts them out. He has been doing this for about a day and a half, he is on Beneful Incredibites with beef.  When I take him out for walkies I have yet to get to do anything but pee, seems to want to do him duty at night (am), any suggestions on turning that around are welcome. The bigger problem though are the Hershey squirts.  Any help is greatly appreciated.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

You need to have a fecal done, he may have giardia. 

[Dennis Sheridan]

karen would it be a good bet that he may have picked it up chewing on grass around the yard.? 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

It's hard to say where he got it, but it's very common in doodle puppies, and it's very contagious.. It comes from ingesting cysts from the poop of contaminated animals, often from drinking standing water outdoors. Eating grass outdoors could be another possibility. But if you've had him less than 2 weeks, odds are he came home with it.

If he's positive, ask for Panacur rather than metronidazole. And everything the poop has touched, indoors or out, will need to be disinfected, or he'll keep reinfecting himself. 

[Dennis Sheridan]

Many, many thanks for the info, we have had him for two weeks and my granddaughter told grandma that he was co-mingled with other pooches and they went from indoors to out through a single door.  Sounds like maybe he had it when we got him and it took that long to take hold.

Have a good remaining weekend.

Dennis 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Yes, the situation you describe would certainly lend itself to giardia. It has a 10-14 day incubation period. Good luck, hope you can get it cleared up fast. 

[Christine & Shelby]

I agree he needs to get checked by a vet.... But also, please get him off the Beneful.... It is a horrible food and is making lots of dogs really sick. Check out the food group for a list of high quality recommended foods!!!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I agree about Beneful, Christine, it's awful, but this is not the time to make any changes in diet. It will complicate the issue. Once the diarrhea is diagnosed and resolved, we'll be happy to help Dennis choose a better diet in The Food Group. :) 

[Christine & Shelby]

Wasn't suggesting now.... The vet is the first stop to figure out what is really going on....

[Dennis Sheridan]

Well today the dood surprised me with gifts of solid stuff, we couldn't go outside it was raining all day, for the most part he hit the "wee wet" pads.  But at least with them being solid cleaning them up wasn't a big chore.  Sandy said she couldn't get an appt. with the Vet. until Thur. so we will have to wait and see, he'll get a good check up and maybe some shots as he hasn't had any that we know of.

More later,

Dennis, Sandy & Topper

[Saintberdoodle]

I would change his food. You can get good info at dog food advisor. I second the fecal test. I have my doodle on a low fiber food because we couldn't get the loose stool under control.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

You can get even better advice right here on DK in The Food Group, lol.