Loose Stools (maybe dhiarrea) Again :(

[mdkel]

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Hello there,

Well zappa's getting loose stools again

I don't know what to do , he's been on 3 different food brands and nothing seems to work. Acana puppy, Royal Canin Gastrointestinal, and lately Alpha Spirit Puppy.

He was getting better , but since last monday, he got worst. No vomiting, still very active and playful, eating very well, no signs of sickness, Only loose stools, good ("normal") colour, but very loose, almost dhiarrea .

I'll take him to the vet, again, today, but I really don't think he will be able to help me. I can't figure out what's wrong, or What am I doing wrong.

Zappa eats 3 times a day, Alpha spirit kibble with a little boiled chicken, or broccoli, or pumpkin, carrot, etc...

I already tried to reduce the amont of kibble (still the same). I took out the fresh food (still the same), stopped the treats (still the same). He usually also eats, as treats, some apple, papaya, natural yoghurt (no suggar), natural peanut butter (no suggar) and some white bread (maybe 2 gr per day, or nothing at all). He does not eat anything else, sometimes he picks stuff from the ground, but I've been extra carefull with that. Oh and he has the worst winds now, and has his anal glands eatching (he licks it often).

What am I doing wrong?

I've read somewhere that it can take up to 8 weeks to adjust to a new kibble (is this right). I also read that some dogs get wind and dhiarrea from kibble (should I change to another brand). I also read that maybe it's the type of protein (chicken mosly), should I change to fish?

Need Help , as this is getting really really frustranting.

 

[JoanneF]

Sorry you are going through this. It can take a little while for their tummies to get used to a new food so I wouldn't rush to change that if he has only been on it for a couple of weeks (can't remember how long he has been on it). But apart from the yoghurt and small amount of pumpkin I would cut out the other stuff (bread, fruit) and if that doesn't work after a few weeks then I would try slowly changing to a fish based diet.

Has your vet tested his stool for giardia?

 

[Violet Turner]

The best thing you can do is take Zappa to the vet.

 

[mdkel]

Sorry you are going through this. It can take a little while for their tummies to get used to a new food so I wouldn't rush to change that if he has only been on it for a couple of weeks (can't remember how long he has been on it). But apart from the yoghurt and small amount of pumpkin I would cut out the other stuff (bread, fruit) and if that doesn't work after a few weeks then I would try slowly changing to a fish based diet.

Has your vet tested his stool for giardia?

I'm going to speak about giardia with him today. He never suggested a fecal test ( the first time I heard it was at this forum).

I'm cutting a lot of his treats. he's been on alpha spirit for 1 month and a week (+-) . He only startde with the very loose stools when he started to eat 100% alpha spirit, as he was on a 4 week transition plan from the Royal canin food (as suggested from the alpha spirit company).

 

[Violet Turner]

When to call the vet?

• Has blood in the diarrhoea or the stools are black or tarry
• You suspect your dog may have eaten something toxic or poisonous
• Your dog has a fever or is depressed
• Your dog's gums are pale or yellow
• Your dog is a puppy or has not received all his vaccinations
• Your dog appears to be in pain

• Your dog is also vomiting
  
  
  
  http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2+2090&aid=3553
  
  
  

 

[JudyN]

Violet, the OP has said that they're taking Zappa to the vet today

If it were me, and assuming vet tests don't reveal an underlying cause, I'd be transferring to a raw diet, starting just with bone-in chicken mince. If I really wanted to stick to kibble, I'd go with Joanne's suggestion of a fish-based one with as few other ingredients as possible. Either way, I'd cut out all other treats etc. for a while (if you go down the raw path you could give dried/boiled/roast chicken, if kibble, you can use kibble for treats).

 

[poptart]

I've always found plain boiled rice or scrambled egg is good for extreme diarrhoea. You can get Hill's Prescription food for stomach upsets, it is also good for settling things down. I'd cut out raw veg like broccoli until it improves.

 

[mdkel]

Violet, the OP has said that they're taking Zappa to the vet today

If it were me, and assuming vet tests don't reveal an underlying cause, I'd be transferring to a raw diet, starting just with bone-in chicken mince. If I really wanted to stick to kibble, I'd go with Joanne's suggestion of a fish-based one with as few other ingredients as possible. Either way, I'd cut out all other treats etc. for a while (if you go down the raw path you could give dried/boiled/roast chicken, if kibble, you can use kibble for treats).

I would to go with a raw diet , or a fresh cooked one, but I'm not confident that I would do a good job with it

Maybe I'll try a fish based kibble for now and if that won't help, 'll try raw or fresh cooked (home cooked) meals. I think it's very hard, so I have not tried it yet (and I really dont know how to do it).

zappa is not in pain, has no blood on his poop, no vomiting, not lethargic, no "black poop", eating very very well (he loves the kibble), playing around, running, he is his normal self , just the very loose poop (almost dhiarrea), and sometimes his poo is a mix of soft poo followed by very loose (or maybe dhiarrea) . ...

 

[JudyN]

if that won't help, 'll try raw or fresh cooked (home cooked) meals. I think it's very hard, so I have not tried it yet (and I really dont know how to do it)

I put off going raw for ages because I thought it would be difficult, and icky, and so on but honestly, once you get your head round it it really is easy. I just get a chicken carcasse and a lump of mince out of the freezer each morning to defrost, and feed that with a blob of pureed veg and raw egg. I'm not trying to push you into it, but if you do want to give it a try in the future don't be deterred by the thought that it's difficult. There's a number of raw feeders here and we can guide you.

 

[mdkel]

I put off going raw for ages because I thought it would be difficult, and icky, and so on but honestly, once you get your head round it it really is easy. I just get a chicken carcasse and a lump of mince out of the freezer each morning to defrost, and feed that with a blob of pureed veg and raw egg. I'm not trying to push you into it, but if you do want to give it a try in the future don't be deterred by the thought that it's difficult. There's a number of raw feeders here and we can guide you.

thanks a lot. I'll thik about it this week.

Just got home from the vet (zappa took a bath ) . . .

vet said that a fecal analysis is not the way to go, because he is very well deparitized and already took flagyl (so giardia would already been killed). He adviced me to just give zappa the kibble for this week, if the dhiarrea continues, change to a fish kbble, if it continues, change to royal canin hipoalergenic... I like the vet, he is very cool, very patient and etc, but that's it? whait and see?

So, I'll just give him the kibble for a few days, if the dhiarrea continues or gets worst, I'll take him to the veterinary hospital (40km from here) and get a second opinion.. And if this does not work... I'll go raw or home cooked ....

 

[Violet Turner]

thanks a lot. I'll thik about it this week.

Just got home from the vet (zappa took a bath ) . . .

vet said that a fecal analysis is not the way to go, because he is very well deparitized and already took flagyl (so giardia would already been killed). He adviced me to just give zappa the kibble for this week, if the dhiarrea continues, change to a fish kbble, if it continues, change to royal canin hipoalergenic... I like the vet, he is very cool, very patient and etc, but that's it? whait and see?

So, I'll just give him the kibble for a few days, if the dhiarrea continues or gets worst, I'll take him to the veterinary hospital (40km from here) and get a second opinion.. And if this does not work... I'll go raw or home cooked ....

he will want you to stay on kibble, because most vets dislike raw feeding. but all you can do is try!

 

[JudyN]

I hope you get to the bottom (pun intended!) of it. At least in the meantime he's happy and healthy in himself.

 

[mdkel]

he will want you to stay on kibble, because most vets dislike raw feeding. but all you can do is try!

I really dont think vets now about dog food, once he told me to never feed pork or beef to dogs :O

 

[mdkel]

I hope you get to the bottom (pun intended!) of it. At least in the meantime he's happy and healthy in himself.

yap, he's very hapy and healthy, he's been running around like crazy, playing, throwing his toys in the air, smelling everything, he's normal self.... just the dhiarrea that I can not put it away

 

[Violet Turner]

I really dont think vets now about dog food, once he told me to never feed pork or beef to dogs :O

what!!

 

[mdkel]

what!!

yap, he said he learned in college to never give a dog meat from pig or cow (cow was safer but shouldnt do it), only chicken, but never ever ever give a dog pig meat. I have to say my jaw dropped a bit...

I dont know why, but zappa made his night poo and it was a mix, 70% normal poo and 30% dhiarrea. I mean, come on dude, just do one or another

 

[Violet Turner]

yap, he said he learned in college to never give a dog meat from pig or cow (cow was safer but shouldnt do it), only chicken, but never ever ever give a dog pig meat. I have to say my jaw dropped a bit...

I dont know why, but zappa made his night poo and it was a mix, 70% normal poo and 30% dhiarrea. I mean, come on dude, just do one or another

I have to say ham is so bad for dogs because of the preservatives in it, but Olive adores it! even knowing this i use it to train her everyday, along with chicken, some kibble and peanut butter (she finally mastered 'get the water bottle'. but beef is an okay meat because its got great fat in for lean dogs and it tastes great for me and Olive! some vets can be taught differently.
30% dhiarrrea wow that's still high, but is it getting better? this is a weird question but what colour was his recent poo? in the morning if you don't mind taking a picture of the poo and either send it to me or post it on here so i can get a proper insight on the consistency and colour?

 

[mdkel]

I have to say ham is so bad for dogs because of the preservatives in it, but Olive adores it! even knowing this i use it to train her everyday, along with chicken, some kibble and peanut butter (she finally mastered 'get the water bottle'. but beef is an okay meat because its got great fat in for lean dogs and it tastes great for me and Olive! some vets can be taught differently.
30% dhiarrrea wow that's still high, but is it getting better? this is a weird question but what colour was his recent poo? in the morning if you don't mind taking a picture of the poo and either send it to me or post it on here so i can get a proper insight on the consistency and colour?

Good morning,

This is zappa's stool from this morning, with maybe 1 or 2 hours in the sun, but today no dhiarrea, still a bit loose, but no dhiarrea.... what do you think???

 

[JudyN]

It looks good to me - not perfect, but nothing to worry about. That's just based on my own experience though. Whatever I feed J, and despite tests, he'll do lovely firm poos in the morning but the afternoon ones are softer - often softer than your pics - and can have a 'creamy topping' as we call it I don't worry about it, I accept that it's just him. I could add more bone to firm him up, but then the morning poo would be uncomfortably hard for him.

How often does Zappa poo in a day?

The four (now three) people in our house can eat exactly the same and have very different 'results'

 

[Violet Turner]

Does Zappa have a list of injections that he’s had? Has Zappa had the injections for = Distemper, Parvovirus, coronavirus} has Zappa been wormed recently if so with what wormer? Does he have a tendency to eat mouldy/gone of food? Does he eat bones (animal)? Do you put slug repellent on any plants in the garden? Is he on any medication? Have you changed his diet? What treats does he have? Is the diarrhoea getting worse or better? How much ‘human food’ is he given? What did he have to eat last night?

I know there is a lot of questions but to be able to help I need the above answering.