Help - Diarrhea

[Mary M.]

Henly is 11 weeks old. I started transitioning Henly's food a week ago (after her 10 week vet appt.

Last night beginning at 9pm she started having loose, watery stools. This went on throughout the night almost every 90 minutes until about 4am. At 6am she just peed. I gave her 1 tsp of pumpkin (she weighs about 12 lbs). The last couple of bowel movements were very small (couple TBS.)

We've been slowly transitioning her food. Still at 50/50 (Purina Pro Plan Savor/Fromm Puppy Gold).

Two things happened that MAY have contributed.

1. my husband inadvertently gave her 3/4 cup of Purina Pro Plan Savor Shredded Chicken for breakfast. He didn't realize there was no Fromm's mixed in.

2. Twenty minute car ride. This was the first ride in which she didn't puke so I thought it was a success however it may have stressed her. The car ride was around 3pm

Now I don't know what to do. Feed her the 50/50 kibble, switch to boiled chicken & sweet potatoes, give her more pumpkin??

All suggestions welcomed!!

Thank you!

[Mary M.]

7am. Stool soft but no longer watery

Fed 1 TBS pumpkin this morning.

Sweet potatoe & chicken on stove.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I've copied my instructions on transitioning from your previous discussion: 

During the transition, you will need to calculate one day's worth of food for both the Purina and the Fromm, because the feeding amounts are different. Start by replacing one quarter of a day's worth of Purina with one quarter of a day's worth of Fromm. Do that for a couple of days. Then go to 50% of a day's worth of each food for another couple of days. Finally, go to 3/4 of a day's worth of Fromm and 1/4 of the Purina.

Read more here: http://www.doodlekisses.com/group/thefoodgroup/forum/topics/time-to...

If I'm reading your current discussion right, you may be taking a little longer than suggested to transition, lol. I also want to make sure that you are combining 50% of a day's worth of each food and not just a mixture in which half is Purina and half is Fromm. 

As long as you're cooking the sweet potatoes and chicken, go ahead and feed that for a day or so until the stool firms up. You'll need to feed more than you normally do because the homemade food has about half the calories of the kibble. You won't need the pumpkin with the sweet potatoes. 

If the stool gets firmer and the frequency decreases in a day or two, try feeding just the Fromm. Let's let the Purina go at this point. 

[Mary M.]

Karen, you're right, I have stretched the transition out. I figured there was no rush & I didn't want diarrhea - HA!

Hmmmm...I think I misunderstood your second point.

Thank you very much!!

I'm off to read your link.

[Mary M.]

Oh brother, LOL, that's my original transition question.

Oh boy, lack of sleep!

Need more coffee!

[Mary M.]

Well, unfortunately Karen, we're back to square one with runny stools every 90 minutes last night.  I feel so bad for Henly.

After her stools firmed up, I fed her just Fromm.  Didn't work.  So back to chicken and sweet potatoes.  Stools firmed up.  Yesterday I tried 75% Fromm, 20% Purina and the runny stools came back last night...every 90 minutes.

What are your thoughts on us going back to the Purina and trying this food switch in 6 months or so?  

I thought about trying Orijen Puppy or CA Naturals (I read that this promoted firmer stools somewhere on here) but my gut tells me her gut is kinda wonky right now.

I'm just not sure which way to go.  Thank you!!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Go back to the Purina for now. I wouldn't wait 6 months to switch again, but wait a month at least. Then I think I'd switch to a grain free food. For some reason, the Fromm food is not agreeing with her. 

PS: I'm not sure what you read here about California Naturals, but it has to have been an old post, because we haven't recommended the brand for several years, since they were sold to P & G. 

[Mary M.]

Karen -many, many thanks!!

It was an old post that mentioned California Naturals.  I've been searching & searching this website for days looking for some kind of answer and when I saw "firmer stools" - BINGO!!

Thanks again!  We'll give it a try in another month then...probably Orijen Puppy.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Let's talk again before you make a decision on a new food. I want to study the differences between the two foods you tried and see if I can figure out what ingredients and macronutrient percentages might be best. 

[Mary M.]

Oh my gosh - thank you!  I'll post again in a month or so.

[Mary M.]

So I started Henly back on the original food (Purina Pro Plan Savor Puppy Cx & Rice) that the breeder fed her and the diarrhea came back.  

You may have seen the thread I started on the main page regarding the fact that my first vet, who ran 2 fecal tests for me, never tested for giardia!!  I went to a new vet today and they are testing for giardia and they've also prescribed meds as if she has it.

Today is day 2 of her chicken & rice diet.  

She's supposed to be on the meds for 5 days.  

On day 4 I can start to work in some of her kibble.  I haven't a clue what to feed her.

Any thoughts?

Thank you.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

This now makes much more sense to me. Giardia is very, very common in doodle puppies. 

I responded to your post in the main forum, regarding probiotics. She needs them ASAP. 

I personally would not give the metronidazole. Stick with the Panacur only. It's more effective if she does have giardia, and much safer if she doesn't. 

Don't introduce any new foods until the giardia is cleared (which will require another fecal a certain number of days after the meds are done). Giardia can be tough to get rid of, and you don't want to complicate the issue by adding new variables like a new food. When you're ready to reintroduce kibble, stick with the Purina until everything is normal again.

[Mary M.]

Thank you!  I ordered the Prioviable DC; it should be here on Friday.  In the meantime, I'll add some yogurt.

Thanks again!