Poor Timmy Is Sick...

[GreytHoundPoet]

Timmy has never had extremely firm stool. When we got him he had tape worms...they were treated and when we went back for check-up to make sure they were gone he had whipworms. He had been wormed at the foster home a month prior. So...between worm treatemnts and what not his stool wasn't super firm and the vet said it was ok to be a lil soft right now. Well, this past week it has turned into full-on BIG D...as in, my boy who never goes in the house was going every few hours in it. My carpet is destroyed (bad...I'm in an apartment) and my apartment reeks. We've put him on boiled chicken and rice as per vet suggestion...he's just letting all the rice out in the D. It has gotten less in volume but worse in consistency...straight liquid. He has been getting immodium (also per vet suggestions) and it's not doing anything, or if it is it's just lessening the amount of D. He has a vet app. 1st thing in the AM...when I called monday it was the soonest I could get and other than D he's acting healthy...playful, snuggly, no crying, good appetite for the chicken/rice. Last week he threw up twice in a day but was fine after that so the vet said he musta just had a tummy ache and as long as he didn;t continue not to worry. We even put pumpkin in his food every meal for weeks to firm stool and it did nothing...well, besides turning stool orange.

 

Suggestions? Well wishes needed...my poor baby is obviousy not feeling well.

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Timmy has not had the big D since Friday morning. The vet said he had a lot of bacteria in his tummy and gave us 2 medicines for it and some canned food made for this type of issue. She ran tests and said he is not sick with an illness but his tummy is not in the best shape right now. She had us start small with a half can and last night and today eh got a ful can to see how his tummy handled it. So far so good...no sickness but no stool at all yet. I'm assuming this is because his body needs all it is taking in right now?? He's more playful and this morning tried to get a squirrel so he's feeling better. When the week is over and meds are all done I will update again. He did lose 4 pounds over it though...so he's a little colder than normal but we'll put them back on and while he has no jammies he has blankies.

 

Thanks everyone for the well wishes and suggestions for him! He's my heart dog and I have to admit...I got a stomach virus so I guess my body is being sympathetic! Please keep him in your thoughts as he gets to feeling better. Thanks everyone!!!

Edited October 5, 2008 by GreytHoundPoet

[ahicks51]

Any chance he's been in some stream water or at a dog park where he could have acquired giardia?

[GreytHoundPoet]

Any chance he's been in some stream water or at a dog park where he could have acquired giardia?

 

 

Not recently. The last time he was near a stream was over a month ago...I'll have to get the vet to check tomorrow. Thanks for the suggestion.

[Burpdog]

I'd worm him with 5 days of panacur and see how he does. Try boiled meat only, nothing else. Can you get frozen BilJac there?

[GreytHoundPoet]

I'd worm him with 5 days of panacur and see how he does. Try boiled meat only, nothing else. Can you get frozen BilJac there?

 

 

Not to sound dumb...where do I find panacur? Is it a vet only thing? If I'm taking rice out, how much boiled meat? Yes, I think one store sells frozen billjac...would that be better???

[Guest wmlcml6]

I have found that with my sick dogs, pasta (elbow macaroni, in particular) seems to digest more easily than rice. Not that rice is bad, but I see whole pieces of rice in their Big D, but not so much with the pasta. I also use whole wheat pasta so it's healthier than plain pasta.

 

Do ask for a Giardia test. Although if his poo isn't full of gelatinous tissue or blood, it's probably not that, but better safe than sorry. Also, my vet doesn't seem to automatically suggest Giardia, and it's so easy to treat (by the 3rd day of Panacur treatment, he'll feel so much better if that's the cause of his loose stools). So I ask for it now if I think it's warranted.

 

Some feed stores have panacur for livestock, but without knowing the correct dose for dogs, you should probably get it from the vet.

 

The most important thing you can do is keep him hydrated. You might try giving him Gatorade (not Powerade - that has caffiene) or baby pediolyte (the generic kind is much less expensive and works just as well).

 

Don't worry if he skips a day or two of eating. If he doesn't seem interested in food it's because he knows it will make his stomach react. It will actually help his stomach recover if he doesn't eat or smell food (which causes his digestive acids to start working, which slows down healing of the stomach lining).

 

Feel better, Timmy.

Edited October 2, 2008 by wmlcml6

[kronckew]

there seems to be something going around our neighborhood with similar symptoms, blue had it, millie had it next then sam, our lurcher friend next door. got worse for a couple days, took them off food entirely for 48 hrs, then boiled rice and whitemeat chicken (our vet said white meat only, no beef etc. - vet lives just across the courtyard ) pasta (no sauce) is good too. all of them are OK now. some people like adding pumpkin or beet pulp in the food but i'd wait till they settle a bit.

[carronstar]

I hope Timmy feels better soon. I learned with my first girl that rice doesn't work for all dogs. I am still greatful to the person who told me that. The elbow macaroni mentioned earlier sounds like a good idea. Sending lots of prayers and good thoughts for Timmy and you.

[Remolacha]

Molly had the D a couple of weeks ago. She'd had soft poo, I think from stress, but this was different, true diarrhea. Turns out she has/had hookworms. I say has/had cause she just finished a round of Panacur and I'm retesting her tomorrow. Hopefully the little buggers are gone, her diarrhea is. I'd say, test for worms, and giardia (are they worms too?) and treat with Panacur. Hope Timmy feels better!

[patricia]

Feel better soon sweetie.

[CaliforniaGreys]

Lots of good thoughts for Timmy. Feel better big boy!

[4greyhounds]

Sending lots of prayers for Timmy. I know you recently went to down-town Greenville, did you take him in the river/creek there? Just a suggestion their was a lot of dogs getting sick from the water down town. That is the reason we don't go to the park anymore. I hope he feels better real soon.

[Guest Che_mar_Cody]

Hope you feel better soon!

[GreytHoundPoet]

Thanks everyone for well wishes.

 

 

We will try the natural macaroni. I'll go out and get Gatorade/pedialyte. I will ask for the giardia test. I appreciate the advice. Withholding food if he doesn't get better seems to be the way to go as well. Thanks again for all the well wishes....my poor boy needs them!

 

 

Sending lots of prayers for Timmy. I know you recently went to down-town Greenville, did you take him in the river/creek there? Just a suggestion their was a lot of dogs getting sick from the water down town. That is the reason we don't go to the park anymore. I hope he feels better real soon.

 

 

No, haven't been around any water, thanfully. I do know that something has been going around though...and he goes out with me a lot so I wonder if he picked something up?

[GreytHoundPoet]

 

Timmy has no jammies but he was cold this morning, so we put on his snood and jacket.

[patricia]

Awww...sweet little man...feel 100% real soon! Those tummy bugs are no fun.