Need some advice Please...

[cheryl & oliver]

Karen, I hope u read this...We have been having stomach issues with Oliver for about 2 mo. now. He has had days with loose stools and diarrhea on and off.  We have tried changing his food to several different brands, and gone slowly with all.  He does ok with brown rice and white meat chicken with some pumpkin on it, or some green beans, and I have started adding back the dog food very gradually.  He is now on orijen with poultry and fish, and he seems to love it, I haven't been able to give him that alone without the above, because as soon as I increase the orijen, his stools get loose again.  He was given Metronidazole 500 mg. one tab. twice daily.  When he is on that he gets better, but I do not want him on that forever either.  I was wondering if some kind of probotics might be needed to get his stomache back to normal.  He is acting fine, playing, running, eating fine, just perfectly happy...But I am worrried.  they have tested the stool, and there is no giardia, or anything else, the vet thought maybe it was a stomache virus, so I started with the rice and chicken and pumpkin, now I can't seem to get him back to eating just reg. dog food.  He gobbles down the food I give him twice a day no problem with that.  Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.  I am going to call the vet in the am, and see if I can get an app't. for him tomorrow or Wed. I just don't know what to do at this point...Thanks everyone for reading....Cheryl, Olivers Mom

[cheryl & oliver]

Oliver is just going to be 4 in April...Thanks for the food quantities for him, will start tonight.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I just wanted to add that any time there is a difference between Jane's advice and mine regarding homecooking, I would go with Jane, lol. She has way more experience with it.

I am really hoping this is just an issue of getting Oliver's digestive tract back in line, and not a digestive disease, but it can happen in younger dogs, too. IBD is most common in dogs over 6, but there are a lot of much younger dogs in my IBD support group. :-(

[cheryl & oliver]

Karen how are GNC Probotics or Nutra Vet?  I see those are sold local by me?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

The GNC is loaded with sugar and various kinds of liver, and doesn't contain the strains of beneficial bacteria that have been shown to be effective. The Nutri Vet doesn't provide any information about the number of live cultures it contains, so I can't recommend it.

[cheryl & oliver]

thanks Karen, glad I waited, and got the Gentle Digest....

[Camilla and Darwin]

Thinking of poor Oliver and hoping it goes away quickly!

[Laurie, Wally & Charlotte]

When I read your post, I had to double check to make sure that it wasn't the discussion that I started the other day about this exact same subject.  I've been feeding my puppy, Charlotte, a mixture of rice, ground beef, yogurt, pumpkin and probiotic powder.  When I try to add the food that she was eating before, Orijen puppy formula, her diarrhea returns.  She has been tested just like Oliver, and she took Metronidozole.  Without the kibble, her stool is pickupable, but still contains mucus.  I will be in an area where I can buy Honest Kitchen's Embark in a few days, and plan to shift her over to that, and keep my fingers crossed.  I've been concerned that Charlotte hasn't been getting the vitamins and calcium that she needs as a puppy.  I hope that Oliver's situation improves.  I will check in on your discussion to see how he does with the new diet.  Best of luck.

[cheryl & oliver]

Laurie, thanks for your kind words for Oliver. I also hope that Charlotte gets well quickly too!!!..Oliver doesnt have any mucous in stool, just loose and sometimes watery.  Tonight I fed him some sweetpotato that I made, with some greenbeans and some chicken and a tablespoon of yogurt, plain, no fat. I then added 1/2 cup of his dog food, and I got the Gentle Digest that Karen told me about. I gave him one tonight and will start the regimen tomorrow. I will let you know how it works out.  Jane and Karen have been so helpful...Will let you know how it works out..Of course Oliver is older then Charlotte, so not sure what is right for a litle one like her. Hugs to you asne Charlotte, and letsw hope both our fur babies get well very quickly....Cheryl

[cheryl & oliver]

Thanks Camilla, I appreciate your kind words of encouragement for Oliver.

[Jill, Woody & Maxi]

Sorry, I didnt see your message until now...Embark is a dehydrated food, it basically looks like one of those powdered dip/soup mixes.  All you do is measure out Embark, and add warm water to it..I stir it around with a fork, then let it sit (hydrate) for 5 minutes.  I have a picture in my phone of what it looks like, hydrated..now if I can only figure out how to get in on here!  Also, the people at the honest kitchen are very nice, I have called/emailed them many times..very helpful!

[cheryl & oliver]

thanks Jill, I will have to get it online if I want it, none here sells it, the only store that has Honest Kitchen here doesn't carry the Embark, they have some of the other formulas, so don't know if any of the others will be ok should I need to switch.  I would imagine they could get it for me, but I prob. casn get it cheaper online from the company. If you can get a picture of it, I would love to see it...Thanks, Cheryl

[Jill, Woody & Maxi]

Here is a picture (I hope you can see it..I'm not good at this stuff)...I add baked chicken, sweet potatoes and green beans to the Embark...just to make it last longer..a ten pound box would last us about 20 days, (Woody is about 60 lbs)..and like I said, thats with adding the extras..but with embark, you dont have to add anything!