Kelly's Worms!

[Guest Stripeyfan]

I’ve posted on here already about our new Grey, Kelly, who has major roundworms which we’re in the middle of trying to treat (a diagnosis we got after over a month of on and off GI problems). At the moment he is having problems again with loose/watery stools (the vet says this is due to new worms hatching out and causing irritation to his intestines again, as his infestation was/is so bad). He’s back on a bland diet (chicken/rice) for a few days, with his feeds split into 4 per day to make digestion easier (although we’re trying to give him a normal amount of food – we did starve him for 24 hrs too) and has had both Dolpac and Panacur in the last 8 days, with another dose of Dolpac due in 3 weeks, but I’m wondering in the meantime if there’s anything else we could be doing to help him.

 

It’s been suggested we give him a probiotic, and the lady at our local pet store said this may help too as even worm medication can upset the gut balance. Would a tablet be ok (can get these at the pet store) or would something like a powder or the Kaolin/probiotic paste he’s had before be better (would have to get this from the vet as it won’t arrive till next week if I order online)? Can anyone recommend anything else that might help soothe his insides too and give me some idea about dosage?

 

As for the diet, would it be better to switch to brown rice as he’s been on white rice a while now (we started to transition to a hypoallergenic kibble but have had to take him off it again for the time being)? I am starting to get concerned that between the worms and the bland diet he isn’t getting the nutrition he needs, although the vet (who we last saw on Tues) didn’t say anything about this and seemed to think being on the bland diet for a bit longer was ok.

 

Thanks for letting me ask more questions, all the info we’ve had so far has been greyt and we really, REALLY appreciate it!!

[Guest Swifthounds]

You might want to see if the grocery store or your local health food store sells probiotics in the refrigerated section. Those are the best. In the alternative, I would get the chewable tablet form from a anyplace that sells vitamins. The ones I have seen at pet places tend to sit on the shelf for too long and begin with too low of a concentration to do much good (and usually for more money). My last choice would be any type of yogurt. I know a lot of people give yogurt to greyhounds, but it can interfere with antibiotics and other meds (not what you want now) and many dogs are lactose intolerant to some extent (not what you need to deal with right now).

 

I wouldn't worry about the nutrition in the short term. It its natural environment, a dog wouldn't get all the same nutrients at every meal, the dog would get a variety for balance over time. Dogs are designed to get all the nutrition they need from consuming meat, bones, and organs. The rice is cheap, easily digestible carbs. I wouldn't feed that to a healthy dog, but while he's convalescing, it'll give him a bit of extra energy. Most of his other nutrients will be in the meat (and he's getting more meat in what you're giving him now than he will on kibble). The only thing you're probably deficient in is calcium. If you're really worried about that, you can grind some egg shell in a coffee grinder and toss a spoonful into the mix, but he will do just fine without calcium for a few days or weeks until you transition back to his diet.

 

You might want to try giving slippery elm bark. It is a natural way to soothe GI upset and I've had a lot of luck with it giving dogs relief. It has a sweet smell/taste, so a lot of dogs like it. You can give it in the gel cap, sprinkle the powder on food, or make a slurry and have the dog drink it.

 

The type of rice won't make a difference in his nutrition level and I wouldn't risk the upset from the change if he's doing okay on the white rice.

[cleptogrey]

brown rice is not digested by dogs, so stick w/ white rice.

 

do contact your vet about his status since you are aggressively worming him. is he on interceptor for heart worm? that also helps to keep them worm free as well. but call your vet, you do not need to spend the extra $$$ for a visit.

[Guest Stripeyfan]

Thanks for the quick replies! The only probiotic drinks I’ve seen in our local stores are Yakult and Actimel which have milk/yoghurt in, so I think I’d better avoid those and get hold of some tablets. Good to know he’s ok with the rice though, I guess the vet would say if she was concerned so we’ll keep going with it for the time being. . Will try the slippery elm, DH says he will go into town to the health food store and get some 1st thing tomorrow (can’t today unfortunately because we’re at work). Is it definitely safe to give to greys without consulting the vet 1st? Also, what is the recommended amount and how many times a day do we give it to Kelly? He is about 70 pounds/32 kilos. Thanks!

[Chicocat]

Thanks for the quick replies! The only probiotic drinks I’ve seen in our local stores are Yakult and Actimel which have milk/yoghurt in, so I think I’d better avoid those and get hold of some tablets. Good to know he’s ok with the rice though, I guess the vet would say if she was concerned so we’ll keep going with it for the time being. . Will try the slippery elm, DH says he will go into town to the health food store and get some 1st thing tomorrow (can’t today unfortunately because we’re at work). Is it definitely safe to give to greys without consulting the vet 1st? Also, what is the recommended amount and how many times a day do we give it to Kelly? He is about 70 pounds/32 kilos. Thanks!

 

I really would suggest you do all this through your vet.

[Guest GreysAndMoreGreys]

In race kennels after you worm the dogs, you come back the next day with some "extras" in the food

Yogurt, Buttermilk,some will add brown sugar. Something along those lines.

 

Hard for me to say what amount to give to a single dog, well cause I'm use to mixing it up for a whole kennel