Hill's Prescription Diet: Necessary?

[Guest PokeyPuppy]

My dog presented with diarrhea for five days. We took her to the vet yesterday and brought a stool sample.

 

Yesterday the vet sent me home with Hill's Prescription Diet I/D. My dog usually eats IAMS lamb n rice.

 

The vet also prescribed an anti-nausea med and an antibiotic.

 

Last night her stool firmed up a little - yay! But this morning and all day she now seems constipated...is this from the Hill's canned food?

 

The results of her fecal test showed roundworm. I started her on her first round of nemex tonight. Not only has she been constipated all day, but she's also now ravenously more hungry than usual (licking everything..restlessly trying to find something to eat).

 

Can i put her back on her regular food tomorow, now that i know it's roundworm? Or does she need to be on Hills? I’m worried that it's causing constipation and I don’t want her to be in any more pain than she already is.

 

TIA

 

ps: if anyone also has an advice on roundworm treatment and what to expect, please let me know. This is my first time. She dropped a few pounds too, so I don’t know if that’s an indicator on the severity or not

[Guest Mom2Shiloh]

I would run back to my regular diet -- especially since you know it was roundworms! I've never seen I/D recommended for short term diarrhea! (My opinion of any Hill/Science Diet foods except in dire emergencies when all other alternatives are ruled out are not to be spoken in polite company... blecht).

 

I would get her some yogurt and add a dollop or two to her meals to help her get past the constipation, maybe some extra water on her food... as far as the round worm treatment... make sure you do follow up testing in a few weeks. For now, scrupulous pick up after she poops. Round worms and tape worms are relatively easy to get rid of; with hook or whipworms I usually sprinkle a little lyme on the area after picking up the poop to kill any eggs left behind. But good pick up should be sufficient for rounds. She might pass a bunch of them, so don't be grossed out. She will feel better... and let her have her regular food back.

 

Just for reference, there are a lot of home made diets you can do short term that are easy on the gut when it's just an upset tummy or intestines, and a lot of things that help the digestion like good probiotics or even just regularly adding some natural, lowfat yogurt to each meal.

[Walliered]

I wonder if Hills pays the students bills while in Vet School? Is that why every vet's office I have ever been in has had stacks of Hills?

[racindog]

I wonder if Hills pays the students bills while in Vet School? Is that why every vet's office I have ever been in has had stacks of Hills?

 

 

Probably that or else because of a very high profit margin.

[Batmom]

I know it's popular to diss Hills but in my experience, canned I/D is great stuff for upset innards; the dry version, not so much. If dog's innards aren't upset, no need to use it.

[Guest ChasesMum]

lol becasue Hills funds all kinds of things, and offers lots of free samples and gives vets great kickbacks.

 

ahem.

 

anyways, the I/d is just a bland diet, also easily and more cheaply acheived with boiled hamburger and rice. i would also go back to your regular kibble and if the big D starts again, then do hamburger and rice. But probably the diarrhea was caused by the worms.

[Guest Mom2Shiloh]

I wonder if Hills pays the students bills while in Vet School? Is that why every vet's office I have ever been in has had stacks of Hills?

 

 

Probably that or else because of a very high profit margin.

 

They really push vets to carry it...I don't know what kinds of 'perks' they offer, but one of my vets (who will not carry it) had quite a time getting them to go away. She said it is very profitable (but she didn't say exactly how.)

[Guest ChasesMum]

I know it's popular to diss Hills but in my experience, canned I/D is great stuff for upset innards; the dry version, not so much. If dog's innards aren't upset, no need to use it.

 

yes... they definitley do have their places. Chase's last day she happily ate 3 cans of A/D when she was having trouble swallowing most other things. And we have used canned i/d with good results as well.

[GeorgeofNE]

My parents have a dog with IBD, and if he eats ANYTHING other than his prescription diet, he gets sick--but I cannot believe your vet gave it to you for a case of simple diarrhea!

[Guest leash]

My Magnum had roundworms so bad when we got him. He had 50+ eggs in the stool alone that our vet told us he could not be in the house with our baby that was crawling because this was one of the worst cases he had ever seen. Just like your greyhound they are hungry none stop but don't gain a thing and will actually loose weight. The roundworms eat everything that goes into them. Make sure to Google so that you know what it looks like. I was scared to death the first time I saw one. It only took two rounds of meds for us and he was free and clear. I kept him on the same dog food the entire time just to make sure that the roundworms were the cause of the diarrhea. Your greyhound should be just fine in two weeks.