Sick Stomach now for 3 weeks

[caroline]

I'm looking for ideas on other things to feed Shiraz.  She went thru the meds from the vet and still does not have a solid bm, it was soft on the meds, now it's getting runny again.  The vet said there were no parasites.  It's also kind of orangish/yellowish (not trying to gross anyone out) What would be the most mild thing to feed?  Chicken and rice doesn't seem to be working.  I was late for work today because we spent about 20 minutes wandering around the yard while she tried to go.

[Kathy]

Have you tried pumpkin?  That's supposed to be good for bowel problems.

[caroline]

No I haven't, just regular canned stuff from the grocery that you make pie from?  I'm willing to try anything.  I feel so bad for her.

[nevada.the.eskie]

Canned pumpkin is fine, but make sure it is the 100% pure pumpkin, not the pre-spiced pie filling.

[Steve]

yep, get the regular 100% pumpkin in a can.  I think there's also some with sugar added that you should avoid but I think you'll find it for about 95 cents per can and it keeps well in the fridge after opening.

[caroline]

what about cheese?  That is a binder for people, does that work on dogs too?

[snowballsmom]

i'd stick with canned pumpkin. it's right next to the one called pie filling. about a table spoon or two with each meal.

[Steve]

I think it has to do with the high fiber content of the pumpkin but I'm not certain.  You'll likely be able to just hand her a spoonful and she'll gobble it up.

[caroline]

Wouldn't high fiber make her go more?????

[snowballsmom]

it works both ways for some reason. firms up loose bellies and also loosens up constipated ones.

[Steve]

I've never tracked how often but it does seem to firm things up.  I agree, adding fiber is supposed to help with regularity and admit I haven't seen any scientific evidence on the use of pumpkin but when we've used it it does seem to help.  It could simply be that by the time we notice they've got loose stools and we give them pumpkin they were done with the loose stools anyway so we observe a remedy that's not accurate....

[Yukon]

Did you ask the vet about the runny poo?

I've used canned pumpkin or charcoal biscuits from Mother Hubbard (1-2 biscuits per day--- turns the poop black, and helps to absorb any acid that might be in there).

If she is on meds it might not be possible, but you may want to fast her for 24 hours.  If the chicken & rice is still bothering her tummy, try rice with just a little bit of chicken broth and see if that is more gentle. 

[fujieskimos]

Try a Pro-Biotic.  I use FotiFlora by Purina.  Your vet should be able to get you some or you can order it on the internet. 

[Saint Mom]

I use the Fortiflora as well when they get stomach issues. It is one little package per day that I sprinkle on their food. They are not cheap (here anyway as usual anything vet is expensive). But that and some Vet canned food for a few days worked wonder on both dogs. You use the Fortiflora every day until you see the problem resolved. You can't overdose with a little pack a day for sure. Have you tried boiled burger meat with the rice?

My vet said the boiled burger/rice combo does about the same as the Vet cans he sells just a bit more trouble to do.

You can also give her a teaspoon (maybe more I don't know for her weight) of Nutripet to help her with her already delicate situation.

[caroline]

I just called all of the local pet shops, they don't carry the Fortiflora, so I will have to go online, went to two grocery stores during work and neither had pumpkin!  Is boiled burger better to do than chicken?

[Saint Mom]

In Canada, at least as far as I know, you can only get FortiFlora at the vets. Maybe you can give a few a call. It comes in boxes of 10 bags.

My vet prefers beef to chicken. Never really asked why and I also hear more and more about beef rather than chicken. Nothing to lose in trying it.

Most good pet supply store will carry pumpkin, frozen or canned. That too you could give a call around.

[blessed woman]

None of the stores in our area have canned pumpkin right now. My husband said he read online that this is bc of a bad crop. We were feeding Kodi 1/4 cup of canned pumpkin at each meal for the better part of a year now. It worked great! He weighs 34 lbs, to give you an idea of how much food he would get fed. Since the canned pumpkin isn't available, he is having baked/steamed sweet potato which I'd been giving him every couple of weeks anyway and that has worked just as well!

[Tonka]

My concern is more about the yellow-orange color of the stools. That can be a result of excess bile in the stool. Excess bile can be a result of a liver problem. I would make sure the vet knows that the stools never were 100% normal when on the meds and about the color. The vet may want to do some bloodwork to check liver function and bile acids.

Fortiflora is a prescription only item, so it can only be purchased thru a vet. If the bloodwork is normal, that would certainly be an option to try for the diarrhea.

Cheese does not have the same affect on dogs as it does on people (as far as decreasing bowel movements). In fact, dairy products can actually cause more diarrhea. Dogs and cats can't break down the Lactose like people.

[caroline]

Thanks for the info, I did talk to my vet tonight, but didn't mention the color.  I have some of the fortiflora and he suggested moving her to a food that is easier to digest like royal canin (sp?) Intestinal HE or Science Diet EN.  I will call him back in the morning about the color.  I can hear her stomach gurgling.

[Tonka]

royal canin (sp?) Intestinal HE or Science Diet EN. 

 

Just to save on confusion, there is Science Diet i/d or Purina EN. You got the Royal Canin right. So many different brands and names for foods that do the same thing.....

[caroline]

I haven't gotten the food yet, he really likes the Royal canin but they are out of it, I think he was going to set aside the Science Diet  Do you think the Royal Canin is the best?  I have to find out where to get it.  They are out, but have the Science Diet.

[fujieskimos]

You do not need a precription for FotiFlora. You can get it online w/o one. It's usually about$30 for a box of 25 or 30 packets. Vets sometimes will carry it which saves shipping costs

[caroline]

I bought it today w/o a prescription.

[Yukon]

Wow, Amazon has a box of 30 packets of FortiFlor on sale now for 75% off ($16.99 down from $70.00).

[Tonka]

All the foods your vet suggested are prescription foods only available thru a vet. I don't have an opinion on which is better. We used to use Iams Low Residue for dogs that had sensitive stomachs an got diarrhea easily, but all Iams prescription foods have been voluntarily recalled. We have just (2 days ago) started carrying Royal Canin as a replacement. More so just to have some diversity in brands instead of just carrying Science Diet and Purina. I would go with whatever food your vet recommends. Start with a small bag. You can always try another brand if he doesn't like it or buy a bigger bag if he does.