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

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

Chery, I have no advice or experience with this type of issue but want to say I am sorry to hear that Oliver is having this trouble.  Hope you are able to get to get it resolved for him soon.

[cheryl & oliver]

thanks Ricki for your kind words and thoughts. I will keep u updated...

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

No, you don't want him on the metronidazole forever, because it has some really bad side effects when used long term. And there always seems to be a problem getting the bowels regulated again after you stop it. He definitely needs probiotics, the metronidazole has destroyed all the good bacteria in his gut along with the bad.

Do not let the vet sell you Fortiflora. See if you can get some Gentle Digest (Ark Naturals) locally, or order it. In the meantime, start giving him a couple of tablespoons of plain unflavored fat-free yogurt with his meals, and continue that even after you get the Gentle Digest. Get rid of the rice and use mashed sweet potatoes instead with the chicken and green beans. If the vet tries to give you more antibiotics, tell him you would like to know what is wrong before giving him drugs to treat it, lol. There is obviously something going on with his gut, he wouldn't have diarrhea for two months for no reason, and clearly it isn't related to food. I personally would have a full blood panel done to check his B12 (cobalamin) and folate levels, but that has to be sent out and is pretty expensive.

Keep feeding what you're feeding for a week after you start the probiotics, and then try increasing the Orijen and decreasing the homecooked food again. If he still can't handle it, I'd have some testing done. You could also try switching him to Honest Kitchen's Embark, that's worked for everyone whose dog had GI trouble with kibble, but again, it's very expensive.

[cheryl & oliver]

Hi Karen, thsank you for taking the time and answering me so quickly.  I am going to try what u have said, the yogurtand the sweet potato and green beasns. and I am going to find the gentle Digest, I just loked it up and going to call the 4 places not to far from me that may have it. AOtherwise I will order from the company. And I found a place for the Honest Kitchen too. So if need be we will try that...thanks Karen, I will keep u posted....

[cheryl & oliver]

Karen I have bought the sweert potaotos and yogurt, how much of each with each meal?..I will start with his dinner tonight, and I am looking right now to see if I can find that gentle digest near me, or I found it on line. Do u use that gentle digest everyday? or just when necessary? I found the other food too online, so if I need it AI will try it and oder it online if I can't find it near me..Thanks Karen.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

You want your homecooked food mixture to contain at least one-third animal protein, and 50% is even better, so if add sweet potatoes according to how much chicken you are using. You can give two big tablespoons of yogurt with each meal.

I don't use the Gentle Digest any more, because JD is on a human probiotic supplement for his IBD. It's an amazing probiotic, but it costs almost $2 per day. I would use the Gentle Digest every day until Oliver's digestion improves.

[cheryl & oliver]

Karen, I got the Gentle digest and gave him one tonight. I also gave him the sweet potato instead of the rice and added chiken and green beans and 1 1/2 tblsp. of the yogurt.  He loved it!!!...Now the guy where I bought the gentle digest said to give it to him 3x a day.  Isn't that a lot while he is getting yogurt too?...What do you think?..And Jane if u reasd this, what do you think also.  Much appreciated ladies...Hugs from Oliver and his Mom...

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I'd try giving the Gentle Digest twice a day maybe, and try giving it in between meals if possible.

[cheryl & oliver]

thanks I will do that starting tomorrow...

[BG and Gavin]

Poor Oliver - I will keep a good thought that you get this thing licked.

[cheryl & oliver]

 Thanks BruceGirl, for your your good thoughts for my sweet Oliver....

[Abby and Raya]

Raya had stomach troubles everytime I tried Orijen. It was just to much for her system. We have had good luck with Acana and Now. Hope he feels better soon!