Our puking, pooping pup :(

[Binny P]

Last night after we picked Burt Reynolds up from daycare, he seemed a little off. He has never once turned his nose up at food (and, when he once was able, at the cats' food until he puked). He is *highly* food motivated. This boy loves his snacks! But when I went to give him his dinner, he turned his nose up at it. He ate a few bites from my hand, but no real interest -- walked away from the bowl and plopped down. Then the cat, who he loves to sniff at and try to engage, walked right past him and started nosing at his food and he could barely be bothered to look up at her. Then when we took him out to potty, he had a small amount of diarrhea. All weird. I called the doggy day care to ask if anything unusual had happened or if they had noticed anything, but they said he seemed like his normal self.

I, being a bit panic prone after our last vet-tastrophe, decided that we should just be on the safe side and take him in to the vet. He had a bully stick the night before, which we usually take away before he gets to the end, but my partner had noticed the braid break apart but then got distracted and didn't take it away. I couldn't find it, so assume it all went down the gullet. I was worried he could have an intestinal obstruction, so off we went. 

The vet said that he wasn't very worried about an obstruction currently and sent us home with some antibiotics and a "wait and see". Which, we did. At 2:00am, he started throwing up. While I cleaned up, my partner took him outside where he had *lots* of diarrhea. When he back inside, he plopped down on his bed and snarled and snapped at my partner when he tried to pick him up to carry him upstairs to his crate -- something he has *never* done. We called the vet, who said to bring him in in the morning. 

This morning they did x-rays and said it doesn't seem like an obstruction, just something bothering his gut. He is back in pretty good spirits but still has the diarrhea. I'm guessing maybe having eaten more bully stick than usual the night before did it, but I really don't know. 

We are suppose to go camping tomorrow but thinking of cancelling -- I just don't want to drag a sick pup to the woods. And I just feel so bad for him. I haven't yet gone through human kids and can only imagine it is even worse with tiny people who can't tell you what is wrong or where it hurts. But it is just breaks my heart that he isn't feeling well. 

My poor boobah :( 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Binny, I'm assuming that the "antibiotics" the vet gave you are metronidzaole (Flagyl). Vets seem to give that out for every case of diarrhea. The problem with it is that it destroys all of the good gut  bacteria that is necessary for proper stool formation along withe the bad bacteria, and once it's discontinued, the diarrhea often comes raging back. You need to give a good probiotic any time a dog is on metronidazole (or any antibiotic). If you don't already have one, order some Proviable DC online and be sure to give it at least two hours apart from the antibiotics, and longer is better. You will need to continue this for at least 2 weeks after the meds are finished. 

I hope Burt feels better soon.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

I had to stop giving my dogs Bully Sticks because they caused diarrhea. Hope Burt feels better soon.

[Binny P]

Thanks both! Burt is now back to normal and loving his puppy life. I am guessing it must have been too much bullystick -- he had the one throw up episode and some yuck poop, but after a few days on a bland diet, all systems seem back to normal!