BootsyCollins Posted August 22, 2008 Share Posted August 22, 2008 Earlier this week, Guinness went into a small stagnant creek and drank some of the water. He threw up shortly after and had diarrhea, and had soft stools and gas for the next couple of days. Then he seemed better. His energy level was great, went for a couple long hikes and played with the other dogs. Then yesterday he seemed to take a turn for the worse - actually pooped in the house, which he has NEVER done, even when he was a puppy. It was very soft and very dark. Not black like tar, but still very dark. I fed him boiled chicken and brown rice for dinner, and he gobbled it right up. Seemed maybe slightly less energetic but only slightly. Then overnight, he pooped again in the house and it was really really really liquidy and dark. There is mucus in it and it looks like there's blood in the mucus (dark red). Did not want to play or eat. Refused chicken & rice but did want treats when I gave them to the other dogs. I have a vet appointment at 4 and I have a sample of the poopie, but I am wondering if anyone has any thoughts. I looked up giardia because of the water, but all the sites I found said the stool is light colored, which this definitely is not. The other dogs do not seem to have any symptoms of anything. Thanks! Quote Christie and Bootsy (Turt McGurt and Gil too) Loving and missing Argos & Likky, forever and ever. ~Old age means realizing you will never own all the dogs you wanted to. ~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BootsyCollins Posted August 22, 2008 Author Share Posted August 22, 2008 Bumping for poop advice. And also to add that he threw up last night, so it's hitting both ends. Quote Christie and Bootsy (Turt McGurt and Gil too) Loving and missing Argos & Likky, forever and ever. ~Old age means realizing you will never own all the dogs you wanted to. ~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Greyt_dog_lover Posted August 22, 2008 Share Posted August 22, 2008 Wow, no ideas here, but would you please give an update after your appt? I would be very interested to know what is going on (as I am sure you are). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest EnzaFerrari Posted August 22, 2008 Share Posted August 22, 2008 (edited) When ENza had giardia, it was *very* mucusy and while she was eating, she was very picky about it. What drove me to take her in was when it got very dark so perhaps the internet was wrong on the color? And yeah - she got from drinking from a puddle. I am rather anal about her drinking out of things now and I refuse to let her near the Potomac. edit: she did go through the seemed sick, then got better, then got WAY worse phase as well. Edited August 22, 2008 by EnzaFerrari Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubcitypam Posted August 22, 2008 Share Posted August 22, 2008 Might be just a bout of colitis. Thoughts from here this afternoon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest GreytMuse Posted August 22, 2008 Share Posted August 22, 2008 Another GTer 'jvilches' went through this with her pup not long ago, icluding bloody diarrhea -- creek water was also thought to be the culprit. I believe her grey did a round of antibiotics and all was well. I'll see if I can get a message to her and have her come post her experiences. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BootsyCollins Posted August 22, 2008 Author Share Posted August 22, 2008 Oh I feel better now. Will definitely post an update later. Thanks for the good thoughts! Quote Christie and Bootsy (Turt McGurt and Gil too) Loving and missing Argos & Likky, forever and ever. ~Old age means realizing you will never own all the dogs you wanted to. ~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burpdog Posted August 22, 2008 Share Posted August 22, 2008 Sending prayers! Quote Diane & The Senior Gang Burpdog Biscuits Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stlgrey Posted August 22, 2008 Share Posted August 22, 2008 It could be Giardia. My girl has been going through this as well. We had standing water in the backyard almost the entire the Spring since we had so much rain. I am sure that this is the cause of the contraction of the bug. She as on Flagyl, which didn't work for her and then two bouts of Panacur. She is still having diarrhea after having the treatments. She was orignally diagnosed with a bacterial infection and we treated for Giardia just incase since it doesn't always show up on the microscope testing. We have been feeding bland diet and still no change in poop. She is going to the vet tonight for further testing. May GOD bless our hounds through this! I am praying for a good outcome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BootsyCollins Posted August 22, 2008 Author Share Posted August 22, 2008 This isn't my houndie. This is my australian shepherd, who is normally tough as nails. Partly why I'm more worried. For him to be as lethargic as he is is highly unusual. Much luck and many prayers for you and your girl tonight! Quote Christie and Bootsy (Turt McGurt and Gil too) Loving and missing Argos & Likky, forever and ever. ~Old age means realizing you will never own all the dogs you wanted to. ~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeylasMom Posted August 22, 2008 Share Posted August 22, 2008 (edited) I would definitely get him into the vet. Warning that this is going to be very vague, but there is some sort of algae found in the rivers and streams around here that is harmful to animals if ingested (and I think people too). My friends dog got sick a year or two ago and we think it was likely from that. He was fine, but I've heard of others getting sicker. Make sure he's hydrated - if you start to find he's very dehydrated before your vet can see you, I would take him to the e-vet. Not trying to scare you, I think its' likely just some bacteria that a course of flagyl and panacur will clear up, but wanted to mention the algae just in case. I wish I had more info on what it was. I'll go look for it. ETA: Duh, I remembered just as I went looking that it's blue-green algae. You would definitely see blooms of it in the water, so if you didn't see algae growing, I wouldn't worry much. It was 2 years ago that my friend's dog got sick: http://www.dnr.state.md.us/dnrnews/pressre...06/083106c.html No idea if there are still problems with it in the area. Edited August 22, 2008 by NeylasMom Quote Jen, CPDT-KA with Zuri, lab in a greyhound suit, Violet, formerly known as Faith, Skye, the permanent puppy, Cisco, resident cat, and my baby girl Neyla, forever in my heart "The great thing about science is that you're free to disagree with it, but you'll be wrong." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BootsyCollins Posted August 22, 2008 Author Share Posted August 22, 2008 Good to know about the algae. Would never have thought of that. Leaving now for the vet. Wish us luck! Thanks! Oh, and he is drinking a lot, which I'm glad about. Quote Christie and Bootsy (Turt McGurt and Gil too) Loving and missing Argos & Likky, forever and ever. ~Old age means realizing you will never own all the dogs you wanted to. ~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ladyluther Posted August 22, 2008 Share Posted August 22, 2008 I am not a vet or a tech for that matter..but it sure sound like Giardia to me..Can be very debilitating and if she is both throwing and going, I would be concerned about dehydration. They can re-infect themselves easily if they try to clean themselves, so it's important to keep their poor old sore butts as clean as possible during the course of treatment. Good luck to your friend and her Aussie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BlackandBrindle Posted August 22, 2008 Share Posted August 22, 2008 Sending lots of prayers for Guinness! Let us know what the vet says! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BootsyCollins Posted August 22, 2008 Author Share Posted August 22, 2008 We're back from the vet. He tested negative for giardia, but she did acknowledge that giardia can be hard to detect. She said he has hemmoragic colitis. He is on flagyl and carafate. I'm also supposed to give him 15mg of pepcid daily. Restricted activity and bland diet for a few days. They gave him sub-q fluids which definitely made him feel better although he's still a bit under the weather. I think he'll be just fine. Anyone ever used carafate? I'm supposed to make a slurry with 3ml of water and give it to him, but I didn't think to ask how to give it to him. Hmmmm Thanks to all of you for your thoughts and prayers! I'm hopeful for a positive turnaround over the weekend. Quote Christie and Bootsy (Turt McGurt and Gil too) Loving and missing Argos & Likky, forever and ever. ~Old age means realizing you will never own all the dogs you wanted to. ~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jvilches Posted August 22, 2008 Share Posted August 22, 2008 Went through the bloody diarrhea thing with Jezebel not too long ago after we had been to a creek. It was dark red, and almost completely liquid. The vet diagnosed Hemorrhagic Gastroenteritis and she stayed for a day on IV to hydrate. They gave her antibiotics and an anti-diahhreal as well. She pepped up pretty quickly once they got her on antibiotics, and her stool firmed up again after a few days. Once her stool firmed up, they did a fecal and found hookworms as well, which probably exacerbated the situation with the creek water. After a dewormer, all is well thank goodness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BootsyCollins Posted August 23, 2008 Author Share Posted August 23, 2008 Update #2 - Guinness refused all food last night and pooped what looked like purple kool aid. Very freaky. He didn't have any accidents in the house overnight, but he did eat some boiled chicken this morning and was much more peppy. We're hopeful that after 2 doses of Flagyl, we'll see a marked improvement today or tomorrow. Thanks again for all of your kind words. Yesterday was scary. CM Quote Christie and Bootsy (Turt McGurt and Gil too) Loving and missing Argos & Likky, forever and ever. ~Old age means realizing you will never own all the dogs you wanted to. ~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remolacha Posted August 23, 2008 Share Posted August 23, 2008 Fletcher had a bout of giardia and something else that I forget, it was a couple of years ago. Flagyl and a round of Panacur made him much better, and very quickly. He did continue to have poop issues, but that turned out to be IBD. Hope Guinness is feeling better! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macoduck Posted August 23, 2008 Share Posted August 23, 2008 My 3 had a similar experience after drinking from a dirty birdbath. Vet treated them with Flagyl and something else. Gracie had to sped the whole day at the clinic to get re-hydrated. Within a 2 days all were back to normal....and I removed the birdbath. Quote Freshy (Droopys Fresh), NoAh the podenco orito, Rita the podenco maneta, Howie the portuguese podengo maneto Angels: Lila, the podenco, Mr X aka Denali, Lulu the podenco andaluz, Hada the podenco maneta, Georgie Girl (UMR Cordella), Charlie the iggy, Mazy (CBR Crazy Girl), Potato, my mystery ibizan girl, Allen (M's Pretty Boy), Percy (Fast But True), Mikey (Doray's Patuti), Pudge le mutt, Tessa the iggy, Possum (Apostle), Gracie (Dusty Lady), Harold (Slatex Harold), "Cousin" Simon our step-iggy, Little Dude the iggy ,Bandit (Bb Blue Jay), Niña the galgo, Wally (Allen Hogg), Thane (Pog Mo Thoine), Oliver (JJ Special Agent), Comet, & Rosie our original mutt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BootsyCollins Posted August 25, 2008 Author Share Posted August 25, 2008 OK, my last update. NORMAL POOP THIS MORNING! I made such a big deal and gave him lots of loving. We're so relieved! Thanks to everyone for your support and kind words and thoughts! Quote Christie and Bootsy (Turt McGurt and Gil too) Loving and missing Argos & Likky, forever and ever. ~Old age means realizing you will never own all the dogs you wanted to. ~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeylasMom Posted August 25, 2008 Share Posted August 25, 2008 Great news! Quote Jen, CPDT-KA with Zuri, lab in a greyhound suit, Violet, formerly known as Faith, Skye, the permanent puppy, Cisco, resident cat, and my baby girl Neyla, forever in my heart "The great thing about science is that you're free to disagree with it, but you'll be wrong." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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