Need some help

[Renee Hacker]

Hi Everyone.  We've been switching Lily over to Blue Buffalo Puppy (Chicken & Rice) for a couple of weeks now, we went really slow mixing it with her Pedigree Puppy since she came home with a huge bag of it.  This weekend we finally went 100% Blue and all seemed fine.  Then yesterday she had her first puppy training class where she got a ton of treats which she's never had before.  Last night and this morning she's had VERY loose stools.  I tend to think it was the treats (Wet Noses Little Stars Peanut Butter) vs. the food, is that possible?  And now what do I do to get her back on track?  Can I give her a little canned pumpkin?  Any other suggestions?  (Suggestions for different training treats welcome as well!)

[Julie and Charlie]

Agree with the other advice given, except my "rule" is after training is to get as much of his normal food into him as possible-- and add the pumpkin on top of that. About a tablespoon per meal is adequate. You could also try adding plain yogurt (I've even used sour cream in a pinch!). Again, between a tablespoon and a teaspoon will do ya!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

She may have giardia. It's very common, very easy for them to pick up, and it has a 10-14 day incubation period, so it may not have shown up during her first visit after you got her. Waking you in the middle of the night to go is one of the signs. Simply having loose poop from a food change or too many treats should not cause that. Bring several different samples, as the giardia cysts aren't found in every sample. If she does have giardia, ask for Panacur and not just metronidazole (Flagyl).

Do NOT ask the vet for probiotics. Most vets sell you Fortiflora, which is a Purina product full of garbage and costs more than the best quality human probiotic you can buy. Stick with plain yogurt or ask for a good probiotic at your local privately owned pet supply store, if you have one. And I agree with Vivian, do NOT let the vet sell you garbage in a can, otherwise known as Rx food. It is not medicine, it has no medicinal properties, and it seems to cause ongoing GI issues. If she needs a bland diet, use boiled chicken and plain white rice.

I doubt that the pumpkin is causing the problem. It should be fine to give a tsp a couple of times a day.

 

[Renee Hacker]

3 stool samples checked, all normal.  Since it had gone on for so long the vet went ahead and prescribed Metronidazole.  Happy to report things seem to have returned to normal after only a few doses!  Phew!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Metronidazole will usually "fix" loose stools even when there's no clinical reason for it. I hope once the prescription is finaished, things will stay normal. Keep us posted.