# A little worried. Insights please?



## nevershoutsav (Apr 17, 2012)

Okay, so I am ALWAYS paranoid of parvo. I am constantly checking fecal matter every time my Chloe (currently 10 weeks) goes to the bathroom. This morning when I woke up, Chloe was playful and hyper as usual as every morning. However when I took her out to do her business, she peed but didn't defecate. She hasn't really ate much of her morning share of food either. When she did finally defecate, it was soft and towards the end of her finishing it was runny. It was a maroon color with green slime in it. I know all too well the distinct smell that parvo has in a dogs stool, however this was not that smell. In fact, it didn't smell much at all. She eats lots of grass, she has done this since the day we brought her home, it drives me crazy to say the least and a lot of times that is the only reason she wants to go outside, is to bury her nose into the grass and reek havoc. She is UTD on her vaccinations and is due again for her deworming on the April 27th. She has also been on amoxocillin and a half of benedryl every 12 hours for 10 days due to what the vet thinks is allergies. Nothing has changed in her diet, but when she did used the bathroom this morning, there was a hard piece of plastic in it (like those things on the tip of shoe laces). My vet is closed on Sundays and we do not have a 24/hr emergency clinic. Should I wait it out until tomorrow, or try and contact my vet now? Any insights would much appreciated.


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## LibertyME (Jan 6, 2007)

just my opinion and Im certainly not a vet....but as one that regularly has puppies in the house...sometimes they just have 'odd' poo....
For me, unless there is blood in the stool...I let their behavior, appetite and temperature be my guide as to if/when I go to the vet for an odd ball bowel movement.


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## MikaTallulah (Jul 19, 2006)

IMO puppy poop never looks right to me. They have sensitive bellies and not matter how much you tell others don't give the puppy that they do it anyway.

If puppy is behaving normally I don't worry.

When is she getting vaccinated against Parvovirus?


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## nevershoutsav (Apr 17, 2012)

Her next set of vaccinations are scheduled for May 4th. I did take her rectal temperature and it said 100.0 exactly. She sleeps quite a bit, but has done so since we brought her home. She was checked and vet cleared on April 5th. Don't get me wrong, she is playful and gets the puppy zoomies but she is very laid back and lazy in doors. Outside, she is a totally different dog (even though she was kept indoors since birth). I hope I am not just over reacting. I do find myself being somewhat a hypochondriac when it comes to my dog. I had a puppy pass away last year from catching distemper from the vaccinations and I think going through that scarred me for life.


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## goldhaven (Sep 3, 2009)

http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com...in-discussion/111734-times-they-changing.html

I think that this should be required reading for all new puppy owners. It really made my day when I read it and I hope that you enjoy it also. 
Sorry that it has nothing to do with the issue at hand but hopefully it will help you to see the light at the end of the tunnel. If nothing else, I hope it gives you a good laugh, it sure did me.:wavey:


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## nevershoutsav (Apr 17, 2012)

Okay, a little update. It is now 7:05pm here and Chloe still hasn't finished her food. She wouldn't go near her bowl, but yet ate the food from my hand. She still hasn't went to the restroom either. She ate a little bit of grass, but hasn't vomited. She hasn't really been up for much playing unless she went outside, where she tried to play tug of war with her leash....


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## A1Malinois (Oct 28, 2011)

I think its a bit weird a 10 week old puppy has "allergies" I wonder if the "allergies" your vet claims she is having is from the vaccine itself. Just my 2 cents.


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

I think you are over analyzing her every move. Puppies go through spurts of down time and spurts of hyper activity, sometimes eat everything in sight, sometimes not. It's all normal unless they are ACTIVELY appearing sick or running fever. 100 to 101 is normal dog temperature. 

Chloe is fine. Breath.


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## oakleysmommy (Feb 20, 2011)

i think its odd your vet has her taking benadryl every 12 hours? that right there could be whats wrong with her stool. She is only 10 weeks puppies sleep alot during the day. Mine are 8 months and 1 year and they still sleep alot.. give her time one day you will wish she would just sleep if she is up to date on her vacc's acting normal etc i wouldnt even worry. She couldve eaten anything outside that causes her stool to be that way. My pups occasionally still have soft stool. My 4 month old Dane same thing never really a firm stool. i am switching his food after doing alot of research to a food with beet pulp in it.


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## A1Malinois (Oct 28, 2011)

It could also be the Amoxicillin causing the weird poops to. 

I really think its odd for a 10 week old puppy to have "allergies" I would investigate into that more


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## nevershoutsav (Apr 17, 2012)

I talked to the breeder after taking her to the vet and told him about the eye drainage, he then called his vet and they told him that sometimes wood/cedar bedding chips can sometimes cause a runny nose and eye drainage. I didn't even think about the bedding when I took her to my vet. But it doesn't seem to bother her. I'm glad to say that she did finally go, and her stool was back to being firm. She was up playing, growling and nipping like her regular self for about 2 hours, and now she is passed out again. I did not give her the antibiotics or benedryl today.
*
mylissyk*, yes I know I probably over-reacted. But in the past year, I have had absolutely the worst luck. If you read my story here, you might can understand why. Thank you all for your insights, I will look into the "allergy" thing more when I take her back to the vet for her deworming treatment (on the 27th).


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## Debles (Sep 6, 2007)

I think it sounds like the antibiotic was giving her icky poo. The maroon in her poo could have been blood. Good it's back to normal. Why would they give a puppy an antibiotic for allergies? and at 10 weeks how would they know she has allergies? I am questioning your vet's choices. I'd ask some questions.
Glad she's better with no meds today!!


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## A1Malinois (Oct 28, 2011)

Debles said:


> I think it sounds like the antibiotic was giving her icky poo. The maroon in her poo could have been blood. Good it's back to normal. Why would they give a puppy an antibiotic for allergies? and at 10 weeks how would they know she has allergies? I am questioning your vet's choices. I'd ask some questions.
> Glad she's better with no meds today!!


Exactly my thoughts. Antibiotics are given when theres a skin infection resulting from allergies and at that Amoxicillin usually isnt the choice as its not very effective against staph. Usually they prescribe Keflex or a Flaxacine such as Enroflaxacin.


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## nevershoutsav (Apr 17, 2012)

Well, she has been on the benedryl and amoxicillin since the 12th and her stool had been normal up until today, but again today was the 10th day the meds so I am going to take her back on the 27th when she needs her next deworming and ask them to run tests. The photo I am attaching was taken about 20 minutes after we first brought Chloe home. As you can see, she has distinct "tear" stains on both her eyes. So maybe it is something she will have forever?


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## A1Malinois (Oct 28, 2011)

nevershoutsav said:


> Well, she has been on the benedryl and amoxicillin since the 12th and her stool had been normal up until today, but again today was the 10th day the meds so I am going to take her back on the 27th when she needs her next deworming and ask them to run tests. The photo I am attaching was taken about 20 minutes after we first brought Chloe home. As you can see, she has distinct "tear" stains on both her eyes. So maybe it is something she will have forever?


Staining around the eye is a symptom of another problem. It could be bacterial, genetic, from teething, diet or even the drinking water. At 10 weeks...I would wait and see a few months before making any solid decisions on what is causing this. What food are you feeding?


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## nevershoutsav (Apr 17, 2012)

I feed her Purina Puppy Chow, the same brand the breeder had the whole litter on. He said that he never noticed any of the other puppies doing this, but did recall cleaning Chloe's eyes once before we got her. I don't think these people would intentionally lie. The dam and sire have all the necessary clearances, I got a binder full of them as well as the pedigrees. They have been in the golden business for 16+ years and people who have gotten puppies from them have been very happy.


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## A1Malinois (Oct 28, 2011)

nevershoutsav said:


> I feed her Purina Puppy Chow, the same brand the breeder had the whole litter on. He said that he never noticed any of the other puppies doing this, but did recall cleaning Chloe's eyes once before we got her. I don't think these people would intentionally lie. The dam and sire have all the necessary clearances, I got a binder full of them as well as the pedigrees. They have been in the golden business for 16+ years and people who have gotten puppies from them have been very happy.



It could very well be teething...or the food. While I fed mine Purina for 5 months while he was having a stomach issue its not something i suggest feeding. I would wait a bit longer and see if the tears stop. I really doubt at this age its an allergy. I never said the breed would intentionally lie . I just thought it was odd your vet said it was allergies in a 10 week old puppy


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## nevershoutsav (Apr 17, 2012)

Lincoln_16, I know you never said that. Sorry if I had implied that you did. However, now that I have heard everyone's opinion on the antibiotic, I am now second guessing my vet. I have never had any trouble with them in the past. I will follow you all's advice and hold off a few months and see if it goes away. Thank you all again! And I'm sorry I'm so paranoid


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## A1Malinois (Oct 28, 2011)

Im a paranoid owner as well. Mine sneezes and I think something is wrong. 

I would first ask exactly why your vet put Chloe on the antibiotic. The first thing I would be doing is a diet change to see if its the diet causing it. Grains IMO are not very good in a dog food and grains feed yeast which could be causing the eyes, could be teething...could be a host of things. But for a start...diet.


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## MikaTallulah (Jul 19, 2006)

I don't know why but during high pollen times my Yorkies will get gunky eye but if I give them distilled water to drink it clears up.

I would then look into the diet. Buddy was on Purina Dog Chow when I rescued him and his coat was a mess. His poop was also very loose. Very sensitive allergy guy- His coat is so much better now. Right now he is on Wellness but it seems to make him gassy so I am going with FROMM Chicken a la veg.


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## oakleysmommy (Feb 20, 2011)

i read somewhere tear stains can be a result of something in the food? has anyone heard of this? Also Apple Cider Vinegar helps the tear stains and has alot of other health benefits. You can google ACV just put a teaspoon in her water a day


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## cgriffin (Nov 30, 2011)

I would say, talk to the vet thoroughly at your next appointment, ask questions, bring up why he thinks that the pup has allergies and take it from there. Also, I cannot believe that a vet would put the pup on antibiotics without an infection being present. Is it possible you misunderstood something about why she is on antibiotics? Alone for possible allergies, an antibiotic does not make sense. Did the pup get antibiotic drops for the eye issue maybe? Sorry, I am just trying to understand and am not accusing you of anything.
Eye boogers are also often a sign of allergies and often the food can be a possible culprit. Also about the cedar chips or what you were talking about, is she sleeping outdoors or do you have the chips in a crate for her? I would do away with the cedar or pine chips and give her a regular dog bed.
If puppy gets a clean bill of health at the next appointment, you might want to start weaning her/him off of the puppy chow and try a better puppy food. You have to start a new diet gradually over the course of at least seven days start mixing in a bit of the new food daily and then increasing the amount of the new food gradually till there is very little of the old food and then none of the old food.
A vet once told my sister, when she was feeding puppy chow to her Golden, that purina puppy chow has no nutritional value.
Good luck with your furbaby!


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## nevershoutsav (Apr 17, 2012)

I think I am going to take her back to the vet TODAY. Last night around 2am she vomited her food up, it looked like mushed up puppy chow, with the bits of grass she had eaten earlier yesterday. This morning she still hasn't ate nor has she drank very much, I tried hand feeding her like I did yesterday and she spits it back out. She's been on my toes this morning and acting happy. When I woke up this morning, she smelled funny, like she had an accident in her crate, yet there was nothing there. No, I do not let her sleep on cedar chips, the breeder used it as bedding, she only goes outside to use the bathroom and exercise. If it were the puppy chow, what is the best brand to feed her?


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## Willow52 (Aug 14, 2009)

Lincoln_16 said:


> I think its a bit weird a 10 week old puppy has "allergies" I wonder if the "allergies" your vet claims she is having is from the vaccine itself. Just my 2 cents.


If you're talking about "seasonal allergies", I agree. Our vet told me allergies usually don't show up until the second year. It takes that long for the antibodies to develop. 

A food sensitivity/allergy can show up earlier. My Maggie (RIP) had one ear infection after another her first year. We traced it to a sensitivity to corn.


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## nevershoutsav (Apr 17, 2012)

Hi guys, so yes, I decided to go ahead and take Chloe to the vet, as she had not ate anything today and vomited again this morning but this time it was foamy. Her fecal and parvo tests came back negative (thank God!). But she said that she couldn't rule out distemper just yet. The vet put her on a 3 day dewormer and a chicken and rice diet for the next 7 days. Her lungs are clear, no pneumonia. So we're all hoping she is just having some digestion issues.


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## A1Malinois (Oct 28, 2011)

I would put her on a food without any corn, wheat, soy and by products could be a start. Theres lots of brands out there. Acana, Taste of the Wild, Natures Variety, Innova, Fromm, Go, Merrick


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## cubbysan (Mar 13, 2007)

Willow52 said:


> If you're talking about "seasonal allergies", I agree. Our vet told me allergies usually don't show up until the second year. It takes that long for the antibodies to develop.
> 
> A food sensitivity/allergy can show up earlier. My Maggie (RIP) had one ear infection after another her first year. We traced it to a sensitivity to corn.


 
Yes, my vet told me the same thing just last month.


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## nevershoutsav (Apr 17, 2012)

Hey guys, it's been awhile since I've posted here and for that I apologize. However, Chloe is sick AGAIN. She isn't doing the same as before, but she does have diarrhea (for the past 3 days). I switched her food, but that doesn't seem to be helping, she also isn't eating as much as she used to since she's had diarrhea. She is still very outgoing and playful, her temp has been normal and no vomiting. Any ideas? What dog food brand is best for a dog that might have allergies? My vet wanted me to put her on this special Puppy Chow blend that you can only buy at the vets office, but they want me to pay $75 for a 30lb bag, and that is simply something I cannot afford right now. What is another good brand that is in reasonable price range?


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## goldhaven (Sep 3, 2009)

What food did you switch to? 
When did you switch food? 
Some pups just have more sensitive tummies than others. If all tests have come back negative, and she is not having watery diarrhea, you might want to ask your vet about a pro-biotic. I use one regularly when switching foods or for high stress situations like going to the vet for shots. 
I would be careful about switching the food of a pup with a sensitive stomach too often.


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## nevershoutsav (Apr 17, 2012)

I switched her to a brand called Ole Roy. It is about the only affordable one that hasn't had any recalls on it. I switched her food the day after the diarrhea started, which was this past Thursday. I am still waiting on the vets to call me back...if they ever do -___-


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## goldhaven (Sep 3, 2009)

nevershoutsav said:


> I switched her to a brand called Ole Roy. It is about the only affordable one that hasn't had any recalls on it. I switched her food the day after the diarrhea started, which was this past Thursday. I am still waiting on the vets to call me back...if they ever do -___-


I don't believe that Ole Roy is the only brand that hasn't been recalled. I believe that is a wal mart brand and if I am not mistaken, they outsource to China. I try to stay away from all dog foods/treats made in China. :no:
If you are looking for a brand, that is comparable in price, I think you can do better than ole roy. 

If you give me a price range for you, I will try to find a better quality food in your price range. 

Keep in mind that the lower the quality of food, the more health problems that you are likely to have making the cost of feeding low quality foods much higher than the actual cost of the food. 

You might be able to increase the price of the food you feed and have less issues, so less vet bills.


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## nevershoutsav (Apr 17, 2012)

goldhaven said:


> I don't believe that Ole Roy is the only brand that hasn't been recalled. I believe that is a wal mart brand and if I am not mistaken, they outsource to China. I try to stay away from all dog foods/treats made in China. :no:
> If you are looking for a brand, that is comparable in price, I think you can do better than ole roy.
> 
> If you give me a price range for you, I will try to find a better quality food in your price range.
> ...


Okay, I usually like to buy at least an 18lb-50lb bag of food at a time. I was feeding her Puppy Chow (same that the breeders had her on) and at our walmart it costs about $30. The kind that the vet wants me to put her on costs $75 for a 30lb bag, that is outrageous in my opinion. I would like to keep the price range from $30-$50.


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## Deb_Bayne (Mar 18, 2011)

Did you get the tear stains in the eye solved? 

I had a poodle that had that and it was caused by smokers around him. When my Dad quit smoking the dog's eyes cleared up.


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## nevershoutsav (Apr 17, 2012)

Deb_Bayne said:


> Did you get the tear stains in the eye solved?
> 
> I had a poodle that had that and it was caused by smokers around him. When my Dad quit smoking the dog's eyes cleared up.


It did pretty much clear up after she stayed at the vets office, but it's began to happen now since she has diarrhea..


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

nevershoutsav said:


> I switched her to a brand called Ole Roy. It is about the only affordable one that hasn't had any recalls on it. I switched her food the day after the diarrhea started, which was this past Thursday. I am still waiting on the vets to call me back...if they ever do -___-


 
I try really hard to not get into food discussions on what is good and what is not, but Ol Roy is probably the worst possible choice of dog food out there. I think that food will cause more diarrhea.

If you think she might be sensitive to the content of her food try changing the meat protein and grain content, the brand she was on may even have a variety with different meat and grain ingredients. 

For instance, Pro Plan has a good line of puppy food, Chicken & Rice or Lamb & Rice, Pro Plan Selects has Turkey & Barley. 

Try looking for her food at Petsmart or Petco, or a Pet supply store in your area rather than the grocery store or Walmart.


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## Jennifer1 (Mar 31, 2012)

I just want to add something about allergies. My 11month old kitten has seasonal allergies and has had them since he was at least 14 weeks old when I got him. In his case he gets bumps on his legs and stained tear ducts. We put him on an antihistamine and a steroid spray for the leg bumps. I also wipe him down with a damp rag a few times a week or more if the pollen counts are high. It's a cat vs dog, but he most defiantly has seasonal allergies at a very young age.

I also believe I've learned that stained tear ducts can be a sign of stress


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## nevershoutsav (Apr 17, 2012)

mylissyk said:


> I try really hard to not get into food discussions on what is good and what is not, but Ol Roy is probably the worst possible choice of dog food out there. I think that food will cause more diarrhea.
> 
> If you think she might be sensitive to the content of her food trying changing the meat protein and grain content, the brand she was on may even have a variety with different meat and grain ingredients.
> 
> ...


All we have here is a Tractor Supply and a Walmart. However, Tractor Supply does carry the Pro Plan brand and at a reasonable price. I was looking online, and foundurina® Pro Plan® Large Breed Formula Puppy Dog Food
Would that be the proper choice?


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## nevershoutsav (Apr 17, 2012)

Jennifer1 said:


> I just want to add something about allergies. My 11month old kitten has seasonal allergies and has had them since he was at least 14 weeks old when I got him. In his case he gets bumps on his legs and stained tear ducts. We put him on an antihistamine and a steroid spray for the leg bumps. I also wipe him down with a damp rag a few times a week or more if the pollen counts are high. It's a cat vs dog, but he most defiantly has seasonal allergies at a very young age.
> 
> I also believe I've learned that stained tear ducts can be a sign of stress


Then Chloe apparently has been under stress since we picked her up from the breeders. She has had those tear stains since we got her, though it doesn't seem to bother her, and they really don't drain THAT bad, I still have to clean them 3-4 times a day.


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## Jennifer1 (Mar 31, 2012)

A quick google search says tear stains can be caused by allergies or teething (& a few other issues)
Causes of Dog Tear Stain Problems - VetInfo


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## goldhaven (Sep 3, 2009)

nevershoutsav said:


> All we have here is a Tractor Supply and a Walmart. However, Tractor Supply does carry the Pro Plan brand and at a reasonable price. I was looking online, and foundurina® Pro Plan® Large Breed Formula Puppy Dog Food
> Would that be the proper choice?


I think that would be a much better choice than the ol roy. Before you continue feeding, please check this out.

http://dogfoodchat.com/ol-roy-dog-food-review-recall/

I know that this is from 2008, but I don't think the quality of the food has changed much.


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## nevershoutsav (Apr 17, 2012)

goldhaven said:


> I think that would be a much better choice than the ol roy. Before you continue feeding, please check this out.
> 
> Ol Roy Dog Food Review
> 
> I know that this is from 2008, but I don't think the quality of the food has changed much.


Alright, I will run out today and pick up the Pro Plan and try that. Um, someone on my facebook suggested that Chloe COULD BE lactose intolerant...? The vet still hasn't called me back either.


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## goldhaven (Sep 3, 2009)

nevershoutsav said:


> Alright, I will run out today and pick up the Pro Plan and try that. Um, someone on my facebook suggested that Chloe COULD BE lactose intolerant...? The vet still hasn't called me back either.


Are you giving her milk or any other dairy product?


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## nevershoutsav (Apr 17, 2012)

goldhaven said:


> Are you giving her milk or any other dairy product?


No I am not. However, I just heard back from the vet. They want me to try a strict bland chicken, rice and chicken broth diet for the next 4 days. They also told me to give her a little bit of yogurt. They want me to try and get her stool back to normal before starting her back on dry food.


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## nevershoutsav (Apr 17, 2012)

Okay, I have been researching online and found some great reviews about this food called 4health™ Puppy Formula. Any thoughts on it?


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

nevershoutsav said:


> All we have here is a Tractor Supply and a Walmart. However, Tractor Supply does carry the Pro Plan brand and at a reasonable price. I was looking online, and foundurina® Pro Plan® Large Breed Formula Puppy Dog Food
> Would that be the proper choice?


I think PP LB puppy food is a good choice.


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## Thalie (Jan 20, 2008)

I completely agree with your vet about the chicken/rice four days diet before trying another food. Chloe's tummy needs to be put back in neutral before a new food in introduced. An overcooked rice and boiled chiken mix (process both together in a blender if you can) is a good way to achieve that.

4Health is Tractor Supply own brand. Some of it (that was produced at the Gaston, NC plant) is right now being recalled voluntarily due to a possible Salmonella contamination (see - 
UPDATED: CORRECT PRODUCTION CODE INFORMATION Diamond Pet Foods Expands Voluntary Recall of Dry Pet Food Due to Potential Salmonella Contamination )
At this point I would advise against putting a puppy who already has an upset tummy on 4Health. 

Which stores do you have access to ? Tractor Supply carries Eukanuba also. At this point, if this is your only source, I would go either with a Purina Pro Plan or a Eukanuba product.


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## nevershoutsav (Apr 17, 2012)

Hi guys, okay so for 2 days I have been feeding Chloe the chicken and rice and it has actually made her diarrhea worse, almost pudding like (gross I know). I'm thinking she should probably see the vet since she has had it since last Thursday. Should I take her, or keep trying the chicken and rice as was advised for 4 days by the vet? I'm going nuts!


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## Thalie (Jan 20, 2008)

Is she drinking plenty ? Does she eat the rice/chicken mix with gusto ? Is it just diahrrea, no vomiting ? Is there any mucus in the pudding ? Does she need to potty very frequently ?

While I do not like diahrrea in puppies because of the risk of dehydration, I would probably give it one more day and take a potty sample (use a ziplock bag and double bag if needed) today and bring it to the vet so they can check it. This starts to sound like coccidia to me which is hard to detect in poo samples but relatively easily cured.


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## nevershoutsav (Apr 17, 2012)

Thalie said:


> Is she drinking plenty ? Does she eat the rice/chicken mix with gusto ? Is it just diahrrea, no vomiting ? Is there any mucus in the pudding ? Does she need to potty very frequently ?
> 
> While I do not like diahrrea in puppies because of the risk of dehydration, I would probably give it one more day and take a potty sample (use a ziplock bag and double bag if needed) today and bring it to the vet so they can check it. This starts to sound like coccidia to me which is hard to detect in poo samples but relatively easily cured.


Yes she is still drinking plenty of water. What is "gusto"? I boil her chicken breast, rinse after done then cook some regular white rice mix it together with just a tad bit of swanson's chicken broth. No vomiting, and yes there has been mucus in her stool. She pees a lot, but only does #2 after she eats usually (though she has been having #2 accidents at night time now due to diarrhea)


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

gusto is enthusiastically


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

nevershoutsav said:


> Hi guys, okay so for 2 days I have been feeding Chloe the chicken and rice and it has actually made her diarrhea worse, almost pudding like (gross I know). I'm thinking she should probably see the vet since she has had it since last Thursday. Should I take her, or keep trying the chicken and rice as was advised for 4 days by the vet? I'm going nuts!


Switch to boiled hamburger and rice and see if it makes a difference. She could have a sensitivity to chicken. If the hamburger helps, then when you get her back to normal and start to put her on dog food you will want to pick something that does not have chicken in the ingredients.


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## nevershoutsav (Apr 17, 2012)

I tried hamburger and rice the first night she started doing it. It didn't make much of a difference. Like I said before, she is still VERY playful, she has no fever and her gums are still pink, and no vomiting. She is looking slightly more skinny today, but she HAS been eating every last bit of the chicken and rice I give her.


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## Thalie (Jan 20, 2008)

OK, time to straighten out things. Let her fast for 12 hours (no food, no treats, access to water at all times), serve only the rice (make sure it is very very overcooked) with some rice water mixed in (no salt in the water); it can be runny. Take poop samples every time she goes - date and time the ziplocks, keep them in your fridge. Once you have at least a day worth of samples bring them all to the vet for a fecal exam; say that that you want coccidia and giardia testing on all samples. 

If she looks more skinny while eating and drinking well, she is loosing too much water; if she looks skinnier tomorrow, bring her to the vet. She might need under the skin fluids; it will look like a big bump between her shoulders but as it replenishes her fluids, the bump will go down. 

This is fixable but can take a little while for the exact cause to be determined and the right treatment to be found. Let us know of things turn out for your weetie. 

PS : Flem the squirrel hunter had coccidia when she was around 7 weeks old. She remained her playful, eating, drinking, foolish puppy self throughout the whole thing but lost half her body weight within 48 hours. Looking at her (and ignoring the diahrrea) you would never have thought you had a pretty sick puppy but she was. She was given a course of medication (about two weeks worth, to be given every eight hours), fluids, an electrolyte rich supplement and rebounded beautifully. We were way more tired than she was when the medicine bottle was finally empty.


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## Florabora22 (Nov 30, 2008)

The mucus in her stool is pretty common with colitis and some intestinal parasites, such as giardia. Colitis is simply an irritation of her intestinal lining, and can be cleared up with some medicine for diarrhea and a steady diet of a simple food. If she has a parasite, that will require vet intervention.

I agree with the suggestion to switch her food. I feed Purina Pro Plan and am very happy with it, but Eukanuba and Iams are also good choices. We fed Iams to our last dog and she did well on it.

Good luck with your little girl!


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## nevershoutsav (Apr 17, 2012)

Alright guys, I am getting ready to take Chloe to the vet. Yesterday showed high hopes of her getting better as her stool began to thicken up, but as of late last night and this morning, she went back to passing pretty much nothing but mucus. She hasn't really ate much of her morning partion of food either, but is still acting like her same old self. I will update once I know more. Thanks again for all of your advice


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## baumgartml16 (Jun 19, 2011)

Hope your little girl feels better and the vet can give you some advice!


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## nevershoutsav (Apr 17, 2012)

Hey guys, Chloe and I are back from the vets office. They went ahead and dewormed her again and put her on Metronidazole for the next 10 days to treat her for other intestinal parasites. They have put her on a strict bland chicken and rice diet for 10 more days with a little dog food added. She hasn't lost any weight, she's 23.2lbs (so yay for that!). So, if things don't improved with the instructions above, then she goes back for more testing.


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## nevershoutsav (Apr 17, 2012)

Hey everyone, just wanted to update. Chloe is doing fine with the intestinal parasite treatment/antibiotic. Her stool is back to normal thus far, no more yucky mucus!


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## goldhaven (Sep 3, 2009)

Very happy to hear that Chloe is on the mend. Thanks for updating. What food did you finally decide on?


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## nevershoutsav (Apr 17, 2012)

Wow, it seems like the only time I get to post on here is when Chloe is sick. From my previous posts Chloe was having really mucosy stools. The vets put her on Metronidazole for Giardia (even though they never tested her for intestinal parasites) and dewormed her. She was to be on the Metronidazole for 10 days, which she just finished up a few days ago. Things were great, stool was normal. However, she has began defecated nothing but mucus again. Though just like before, she is still playful, not eating AS much but still eating, and drinking normally. Also she has had an eye drainage problem since the day we brought her home, the vet said: "It could possibly be distemper, or could be allergies" we still do not have a definitive answer. However, with the mucus in her stool and eye drainage, I have noticed in the past couple of weeks that she has had some red spots on her inner thighs of her back legs. I am really beginning to think she is allergic to the food after all. The vet told me not to change her food from Puppy Chow as they were treating for Giardia. I listened and I am now back to square one. I have spent almost $300 in vet visits which have gotten me nowhere because they are not testing her to find the root cause. All they want to do is tell me to do the chicken and rice diet to clear it up without knowing why it happened in the first place. Honestly, I would love to find another vet at this point, but my current one is the only one I have found that will let me pay my bill in payments. I am not poor by far, but since I am paying my mothers funeral bill, money has been a little tight lately. I am switching her to Canidae to see if that helps. Any thoughts on that? I would LOVE to switch her to Blue Buffalo, but that is something I just cannot afford right now.


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## goldhaven (Sep 3, 2009)

I have no idea about the Canidae but I have never had any luck with BB and puppies. Any pup that I have ever had on BB has gotten diarrhea. 

I have seen a lot of people, like you, whose dogs go in for diarrhea and the vets can't find a cause so they put the pups on metronidazole. (sp) I have never seen that work long term. As soon as the dogs are off the met., they get the diarrhea again. I saw one pup that was only 7 months old and had been on 5 rounds of met. When the vet suggested a 6th round, they finally ended up switching vets, and food and it took a couple of months but the pup is doing fine now. 

Good luck with the switch. Hope your pups gets better soon.


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## nevershoutsav (Apr 17, 2012)

goldhaven said:


> I have no idea about the Canidae but I have never had any luck with BB and puppies. Any pup that I have ever had on BB has gotten diarrhea.
> 
> I have seen a lot of people, like you, whose dogs go in for diarrhea and the vets can't find a cause so they put the pups on metronidazole. (sp) I have never seen that work long term. As soon as the dogs are off the met., they get the diarrhea again. I saw one pup that was only 7 months old and had been on 5 rounds of met. When the vet suggested a 6th round, they finally ended up switching vets, and food and it took a couple of months but the pup is doing fine now.
> 
> Good luck with the switch. Hope your pups gets better soon.


Did they ever get a diagnosis once they switched?


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## Florabora22 (Nov 30, 2008)

I think switching to Blue Buffalo would be asking for trouble. I can't tell you how many posts I see on this forum about puppies on Blue Buffalo suffering from diarrhea problems. My dog Flora did horribly on BB when she was a puppy. Liquid stools. I would highly recommend a more common food that's not going to be overly rich for a puppy that already struggles with colitis, such as Purina Pro Plan, Eukanuba, or Iams. Avoid chicken formulas, as that might be irritating her tummy. Beef, lamb, and fish based proteins are a good idea.

FWIW, Flora struggled with colitis until she was about 8 months old, when I switched her to Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Stomach, which is an adult formula. Pudding stools were an everyday occurrence when she was young, and she would have liquid stools about once a week (sometimes inside). It was horrible. I think it was something she had to grow out of. So it does get better - it just sucks to deal with while it's happening.  Good luck!


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## goldhaven (Sep 3, 2009)

nevershoutsav said:


> Did they ever get a diagnosis once they switched?


No diagnosis. My suspicion was that it was the food all along. Their old vet would recommend something that he would sell that was super expensive and as soon as they tried to stop that food or the met, the symptoms would reoccur. 
They switched to Natures Instinct. I think the duck or the salmon one. He has been doing great ever since. He is now 15 months and so far no more issues.


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## nevershoutsav (Apr 17, 2012)

Today, I went to a local pet store, and they were awesome enough to give me some samples of "By Nature: Grain-Free Chicken and Potato Flavor" food, as well 2 sample bags of "Taste if the Wild" and "Natural Balance". All are grain-free. They give me enough of the "By Nature" kind to last a few days to see how she does on it, if all goes well then we will buy a larger bag of it. If anyone has any opinion on those brands, please let me know. I couldn't find any solid reviews about the "By Nature" kind, but I have heard some great things about "Taste of the Wild"

Please pray this works, I am exhausted from the late nights as it seems to be more frequent bathroom breaks at that time, so I haven't gotten much sleep lately.


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## Duke's Momma (Mar 1, 2007)

Coley had issues with his poo when he was a puppy. The vet put him on some sort of powdered medication that you just put over his food. ON and off and on and off. Finally he grew out of it. I can't remember what the vet said it was. Something about over abundance of spir"something or other". So, during the time he was treated we also bought a low-res food to feed him. Costly, but cleared up the runs immediately while we fixed the spir something or other. Have they suggested that yet? 

I just glanced through the posts, but am wondering how you are changing her food. With samples, did they give you enough to s-l-o-w-l-y change her food? I didnt' know this with my first dog - an Australian Shepherd - but changing food cold turkey can cause intestinal issues in itself.

Hope your baby feels better soon.


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## nevershoutsav (Apr 17, 2012)

Duke's Momma said:


> I just glanced through the posts, but am wondering how you are changing her food. With samples, did they give you enough to s-l-o-w-l-y change her food? I didnt' know this with my first dog - an Australian Shepherd - but changing food cold turkey can cause intestinal issues in itself.
> 
> Hope your baby feels better soon.


I have not changed her food until today, because my vet told me not to just yet, treat for intestinal parasites first. I mentioned so many brands before because I was looking for one that would be good for her. I also didn't want to change her food until I was SURE it was in fact the food. But since my vet seems to be totally clueless on what is making her poop pure mucus, my best guess is-it's the puppy chow. As I said before, she has had tear stains/eye drainage ever since we picked her up at 8weeks, and she also has been getting little red spots on her inner back thighs. She's been tested for parvo-it was negative, and distemper is fully out of the question now. Also, she is still very much her silly self, she hasn't really been eating the puppy chow that well since she finished her antibiotic, but she hasn't stopped eating 100%. She hasn't been vomiting either. Other than the diarrhea/mucus, she seems totally fine. Today, when I checked out dog foods at the local pet store, they told me since she already has diarrhea then I should just give her the new food without mixing it. She has ate the new food a whole lot better and quicker, but today is just the first day of it-and so far she hasn't defecated.


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## nevershoutsav (Apr 17, 2012)

Since I started her on her new food today, it took her awhile to finally "go". Though when she did, it was still very soft, but there was hardly no mucus at all in it. Good sign right?


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## goldhaven (Sep 3, 2009)

:crossfing fingers crossed


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