UPDATE: Need some advice - 6 months of diarrhea in 9 month old puppy....IBS, IBD, Collitis, Allergy???

[Rory]

UPDATE: So, it has been only six days, but I am pleased to report that everything is looking normal!! Maybe it is still too early to tell for sure, but last time I took her off the meds, it only took a couple of days before the diarrhea returned. I am cautiously optimistic. Thanks for all your support, everyone!

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So the diarrhea started about 5 or 6 months ago after a bout of gastroenteritis - Tylane has been keeping it at bay, but her stools are still on the (sometimes very) soft side.

 

A specialist suggested doing 4 rounds of panacur, even though nothing showed in the stool sample, and we are on round 3. My vet also wants to start with a prescription diet (I said no) and if that didn't work, then a scope and biopsy (I also said no). I have just started her on enzymes and probiotics.

 

I keep reading that food allergies don't manifest with gastro symptoms, and while I don't want to use a rx diet, I am tempted to change her to a healthy grain, single source protein food. She did really well, in terms of her bowels, when her food was high, healthy grain, but she also barely ate at all!!!! She is super picky, and the only food I have found that she is willing to eat is EVO. I have a feeling that this is due to the very small size of the kibble (small bites), because she doesn't really chew her food. Does anyone know of a good quality, healthy grain food that also comes in very small sized kibble??? The main reason I like EVO as well is because it has a very high calorie:volume ratio. My Yetti will not, WILL NOT consume more than 2, maybe maybe 2.5 cups of food a day, and I want to make sure she gets all her nutrients. She is 9 months and ~ 50 lbs.

 

If anyone has any food suggestions, or other ideas about what this could be, I would really appreciate it!!!

 

Thanks,

 

Rory

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

Taquito used to be a grazer.  Now, I cannot leave food out because Peri the pig will eat everything, so Taquito gets 5 minutes with me standing there, or up it goes.  I have found that he eats it in one sitting now that he knows he can't access it all day long....

[Rory]

Just wanted to say thanks to everyone for their comments. I am switching her back to CaniSource (gradually) and I am also starting her on a very high quality probiotic (Bio-K+) for a week or two, then I'll use a regular (and cheaper!) probiotic for maintenance. She was on several rounds of Clavamox for a variety of issues since I got her, and I suspect that might have upset her digestive balance (of course, that might not be the cause of her diarrhea, but it can't hurt to try). I'll wait a few weeks before deciding what tests to order -- there are so many, and I'm not really sure where to start (and neither, it seems, is her vet). Thanks again!!

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I think this sounds like a good plan, and I would also wait to see what these changes do before ordering more tests.  Good luck, and please let us know how it's going.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Antibiotics can certainly wreak havoc with a dog's digestive system, and it can take a lot of time for them to get back to normal. Jack was on megadoses of cephalexin for 10 days back in December, and his digestion is still not back 100% to where it was before that. I agree that your plan is a good one.

[Rory]

The experiment begins today. I am taking her off Tylane for the first time since October. I will keep giving her the digestive enzymes and probiotics. The new food really seems to have firmed her up - wish us luck!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Good luck! Let us know how it goes!

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I'll definitely be following your progress, and good luck!

[Kathie]

Hi Rory: 

I have 2 goldens. One had messy "soft serve" poop since the day I got him as an 8-week old puppy.   I tried everything - different dog foods, probiotics additive packets.  Here's what finally helped......   I now add about 1-2 tablespoons of nonfat, plain yogurt to their kibble.  This has been a huge, huge help.  And because my dogs are picky eaters (!!),  I also add about a tablespoon of qualtiy canned dog food to the kibble.  I've been doing this now for about 8 months, and they eat every bit of their food - and lick the bowl clean.  Hope this helps! 

[Rory]

Thanks for the advice, Kathy. Unfortunately, Yetti is not a yoghurt fan, but if all goes well I might try it again sometime in the future. 

 

Also, when all this started, we weren't dealing with mere pudding poops, but multiple trips outdoors (almost hourly) for several nights in a row and real diarrhea - mucusy, pale, smelly (sorry for the graphic description!) We haven't experienced that since she started on Tylane in October, and if I see signs of it returning, back on the meds she goes...

[Rory]

six days solid and med-free! wooooo!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Woo-hoo! Fingers and paws crossed that things continue to go well!