New Owner to a Rescue Kelpie X

[Drift's Owner]

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Hi, Just joining the forum for the first time as co-owner of an Australia Kelpie-X called Drift. He is a lovely dog & his training is coming along well for a stray...drifting here and there...hence the name! Unfortunately he has not had a settled stomach / bowel issues we are trying to sort through. So I'm interest to hear what makes dogs tummies upset. I think we are on a long journey of trial and error. I'm looking forward to chatting with other owners.

 

[JoanneF]

Welcome. Thinking of his tummy problems, how long have you had Drift? What are you feeding and have you changed this at all? And has the vet done any tests on his stool for parasites? Sorry for all the questions!

 

[Mad Murphy]

The list of what can upset them is a long one. Best as @JoanneF says get a vet check if you havent already just to make sure there are no medical issues. Then ist a case of trial and error. We now know that Murphy cant have chicken or beef but hes fine with lamb fish or goose a bit of goat now and then is ok too. But each dog differs so take it one step at a time and dont make too many drastic or sudden changes.

 

[arealhuman]

Welcome. I hope you sort the tummy problems

 

[Drift's Owner]

The list of what can upset them is a long one. Best as @JoanneF says get a vet check if you havent already just to make sure there are no medical issues. Then ist a case of trial and error. We now know that Murphy cant have chicken or beef but hes fine with lamb fish or goose a bit of goat now and then is ok too. But each dog differs so take it one step at a time and dont make too many drastic or sudden changes.

Thanks so much. We have had 3 vet visits, tests, antibiotics. He is better, but not great. I suspect as a stray he probably ate way too much contaminated junk. Good to know that even chicken can make your dog upset. Everyone has been recommending chicken and rice - which sounds like a nightmare for Murphy! I'm thinking of starting a dog food diary.

 

[Drift's Owner]

Welcome. I hope you sort the tummy problems

Thanks! We are still working on it, but it doesn't seem to make him any less happy!

 

[Mad Murphy]

A dog diary is a great idea. Note where you walk and if there are any changes. Thats how we realised that Murphy reacts to freshly mown grass too.. Its only the day that they mow the grass, after a day or so hes ok but I keep a supply of meds ready and know I only have to give them when the mowers are active.

 

[Drift's Owner]

A dog diary is a great idea. Note where you walk and if there are any changes. Thats how we realised that Murphy reacts to freshly mown grass too.. Its only the day that they mow the grass, after a day or so hes ok but I keep a supply of meds ready and know I only have to give them when the mowers are active.

Thanks so much. We walk him in an open park with deer etc. So I am taking this into account too.

 

[Drift's Owner]

Welcome. Thinking of his tummy problems, how long have you had Drift? What are you feeding and have you changed this at all? And has the vet done any tests on his stool for parasites? Sorry for all the questions!

Hi, he was a stray, so I am guessing he ate anything and everything he could get his hands on. So we are trying to keep him on simple diet...rice, boiled chicken, soft grain free wet meat etc. We have good days and bad days. He was diagnosed with a bacteria and has been on antibiotics for 2 weeks.

 

[leashedForLife]

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As he’s already on antiBs, i’d ask the vet if probiotics are OK *with* the specific antiB, as they vary - some it’s absolutely not, it affects the Rx efficacy, others it’s fine. Best to check.
If he cannot have live probiotics WITH the Rx, even 4 or more hours apart, i’d Definitely follow the full course of antiBs with daily or even twice daily probiotics, for a week to 10 days post Rx.

RenewLife is an excellent brand, they have several high-potency formulas - do be aware that all high-potency probiotics *must* be refrigerated, tho, even B4 they are opened; each capsule is warranted to contain BILLIONS of live microbes, & they start to die at room-temp.
Amazon-U.K. carries their whole line.

I can also recommend RenewLife’s digestive enzymes - they have a wonderful UltraDigest capsule with every imaginable protease, the capsule is veg gelatin, no animal / nonhuman testing, etc.
I have used both in humans & nonhumans with very good results- as ever, I don’t get a dime or any consideration for my referral, I have used them & they worked well.

- terry

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[leashedForLife]

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I would also try a different “bland diet” than chicken & rice - I don’t know how to copy/ paste links on this iPad yet, but I’ve already posted a link in a prior thread a few months back, to a vet’s column explaining why turkey (ground) & canned plain pumpkin (commercially processed pumpkin purée) is much superior to white rice & chkn-breast / hamburger.
The vet in Q worked for years in a vet E/R (out of hours / emergency referral practice), & thinks that pumpkin purée is the divinely intended soother for irritated GI tracts, plus a gentle laxative, & the best bulk- fiber option ever.

If U search for “pumpkin purée “ in quotes, with my user-name as the poster, it should pop right up.
(Conversely, could a kind fellow-member post the link? — thank U very much. )

- terry

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[JudyN]

Is this the correct post, @leashedForLife ?

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i know, i know... "chicken & rice, chicken & rice..."
Well, some vets would say that canned plain PUMPKIN if U can get it, is far superior to rice, for dogs, esp'ly when they have a gut-upset... pumpkin puree is soothing, adds bulk, & does not pull water from the body or gut.

This vet suggests ground turkey & pumpkin puree -
Pumpkin: The Bowel-Soothing Food for GI Upsets and Diarrhea

If U can't get commercially-canned puree, brown rice is better than white rice, which is pure simple starch. // Plain baked sweet potato is also an improvement over any rice-based bland diet.

Hope it's all back to normal very soon!
- terry

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[Drift's Owner]

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As he’s already on antiBs, i’d ask the vet if probiotics are OK *with* the specific antiB, as they vary - some it’s absolutely not, it affects the Rx efficacy, others it’s fine. Best to check.
If he cannot have live probiotics WITH the Rx, even 4 or more hours apart, i’d Definitely follow the full course of antiBs with daily or even twice daily probiotics, for a week to 10 days post Rx.

RenewLife is an excellent brand, they have several high-potency formulas - do be aware that all high-potency probiotics *must* be refrigerated, tho, even B4 they are opened; each capsule is warranted to contain BILLIONS of live microbes, & they start to die at room-temp.
Amazon-U.K. carries their whole line.

I can also recommend RenewLife’s digestive enzymes - they have a wonderful UltraDigest capsule with every imaginable protease, the capsule is veg gelatin, no animal / nonhuman testing, etc.
I have used both in humans & nonhumans with very good results- as ever, I don’t get a dime or any consideration for my referral, I have used them & they worked well.

- terry

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Thanks so much. Sorry for the late thanks. I've had some surgery myself, so catching up on a few over due items.

 

[Drift's Owner]

Thanks for the advice everyone. We seem to be making progress, albeit slow. It is a bit of an odd one as he does a great poo or two in morning and then as the day goes on it deteriorates again into being quite sloppy. Anyone else ever noticed this? We feed him exactly the food throughout the day.

 

[JudyN]

It's common for dogs to have firmer poos in the mornings and softer ones later in the day. How often is he pooing, and what do you fed him?

My dog didn't do decent poos till I switched to raw so you might want to consider this in case it solves the problem for him.

 

[Drift's Owner]

It's common for dogs to have firmer poos in the mornings and softer ones later in the day. How often is he pooing, and what do you fed him?

My dog didn't do decent poos till I switched to raw so you might want to consider this in case it solves the problem for him.

Hi, thanks very much. He is a puppy, so we are still on 3 times a day atm. We are on rice, chicken or turkey, (fresh, but cooked) and some sensitive junior puppy food, (it has rice, beetroots and some meat) and some dry Beco food, which we soak. I am weening him down to smaller portions at lunch time now.

 

[leashedForLife]

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I’m so sorry, @JudyN ! — I was not alerted to Ur reply of the 13th, I don’t know what went wrong.
Yes, that is indeed my prior post with the E-R vet who strongly recommends “pumpkin purée plus ground-turkey” as the go-to bland diet for diarrhea, nausea, & other digestive upsets.

I don’t know why, on this forum I sometimes get no alerts on certain watched threads - it’s not every time, nor even the majority, but it seems to happen on certain threads, more than once, even tho they are set to “watch”.
Very puzzling.
Thank U very much for finding & quoting my past-post, @JudyN - I finally found out how to copy to the clipboard on this iPad, but pasting is a frustrating hit & miss process, it doesn’t react consistently to the “touch & hold” cue to PASTE HERE.

- terry

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[leashedForLife]

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@Drift's Owner , I am guessing he’s over 12-WO?...
If so, i’d just cut him to morning & evening meals approx 10 to 12 hrs apart, & see what happens. // Most pups who are not itty-bitty breeds or mixes (Chis, Papillon, & similar) are eating on an “adult” meal schedule of 2 meals daily by 10-WO, plus training tidbits - not junk food, high protein, high quality food, just given in in small pieces.

Tiny pups with very small stomachs & rapid metabolism need more frequent meals when they are growing rapidly, but pups of breeds or mixes who will weigh at least 10 to 15# as adults don’t strictly “need” 3 meals daily, once they are old-enuf to leave Mom & sibs for another home (approx 56-DO / 8-WO).


- terry

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[JudyN]

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I’m so sorry, @JudyN ! — I was not alerted to Ur reply of the 13th, I don’t know what went wrong.
Yes, that is indeed my prior post with the E-R vet who strongly recommends “pumpkin purée plus ground-turkey” as the go-to bland diet for diarrhea, nausea, & other digestive upsets.

I don’t know why, on this forum I sometimes get no alerts on certain watched threads - it’s not every time, nor even the majority, but it seems to happen on certain threads, more than once, even tho they are set to “watch”.
Very puzzling.
Thank U very much for finding & quoting my past-post, @JudyN - I finally found out how to copy to the clipboard on this iPad, but pasting is a frustrating hit & miss process, it doesn’t react consistently to the “touch & hold” cue to PASTE HERE.

- terry

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No worries, LfL - I just assumed you hadn't seen my post for some reason, I didn't think you were ignoring me!