Dog Still Sick

[Walliered]

He has been on Metroidazole for about 8 days. He has totally quit eating and drinking for 36 hours. He had projectile bid D yesterday and nothing since. I have had him in and out of the vets for several days. She did a full blood panel a week ago and it came back OK..I am taking him back to the vets today. My question: could a "bully stick" have caused this??? He eats the whole thing so could it have lodged in his gut??? Any suggestions? Thanks again everyone, Nan

[Batmom]

If in doubt, don't feed him this a.m. and get an abdominal x-ray.

 

Sending best thoughts and scritchies for your boy.

[maggiespet]

Hugs to you. Prayers for your sweet boy. Hope this gets resolved soon.

[Guest larock]

could it be pancreatitus, you should ask your vet?

 

One of our greys had this type of reaction to a bully stick/pigs ear. From what I understand it can caused by anything that is high in fat. Our vet told us to fast our boy for two days (which i gave him a lot of grief over). He did recover and we didn't give him any high in fat treat again.

 

Ditto for the abdominal xray too, just to be sure.

Edited March 31, 2011 by larock

[MaryJane]

Where was the bully stick made - in USA or China?

[OwnedBySummer]

I've heard there can be problems with Chinese bully sticks but I don't know what they are. Maybe someone can link to a document or something that you can take with you?

[grey14me]

I personally think that yes, a bully stick can do this. I second an xray after this amount of time.

[greyhead]

Other than lodging in the gut, I should think it could have transferred bacteria, etc. Blood work won't reflect a GI tract infection necessarily. A culture and sensitivity performed on the poop itself, however, will. (We had to ask and ask before our vet finally did that, and Spencer was *way* sick by the time he was diagnosed. So be prepared to insist, if the x-ray doesn't show a problem.)

[Guest mcsheltie]

I don't think a bully stick could lodge in their gut. Dogs are able to digest unchewed bone. It would be digested. But the other things mentioned here, contamination/bacteria or pancreatitis should be looked into ASAP.

 

This may not even be the cause. They should re-do the chem panel. Check for worms, SIBO etc...

[Guest dancewkathylee]

My dog had a very similar event. She was so sick she was passing pure red blood instead of stool. We spent a very nervous evening in the ER. She gave it to our other dog as well but, he didn't get as sick because we changed his diet pronto. We fasted them for 24 hours and then nothing but chicken and rice for food. And I do mean nothing, no treats no dog food. Felt like we were always cooking. She was also on the flagyll but he never was. When we tried to re-introduce kibble in small amounts about a week later, the stools got loose right away so, back to chicken and rice. Once they get that bad GI upset, the intestine gets so irritated it can't handle regular foods until it's had time to totally rest. We had the side benefit of a lot less stools to pick up while on the home cooked diet. I think it was a virus that she picked up at the vet and then gave it to him. It was really scary. They're fine now. I hope your dog will get better soon.

[Walliered]

Thanks everyone. The bully sticks are from South America and I got them from Bestbullysticks.com This is the website that is posted on one of our lists here on Greytalk as being great!! The vet did another X-ray and it was totally clear. She is also doing another blood panel that will be different from last weeks. When I left the vet's office he had not eaten or drank anything in 49 hours. But, when I was cleaning up the yard this morninng his poop was nothing but blood. I told her about that. She is keeping him overnight hoping to get a poop sample tomorrow. But, I think he will need to eat something in order to get a sample.

 

When I got home and fed the other grey, he promply vomited up his entire dinner. Since then he has been laying on his bed and he is asleep. He has been on the antibotic for 8 days and prozac for about 4 days because of a terrible fear of thunderstorms.

 

My vision of a dog sleeping at my feet while we are in front of the fireplace and taking him to the vet only one time per year for a rabies shot have completely evaporated. I have never been through anything like this before.

 

Thanks so much everyone for your information. Nan

[greymatters]

After seeing this, I went back to read your previous thread - can I ask whether you ever got through a full course of panacur? As mentioned by others in your last thread, this really does sound like hookworm (or another parasite, but since we've dealt with hooks here I tend to suspect them first). Especially since your other pup seems to be showing similar symptoms?

 

The bloody diarrhea and refusal to eat or drink are the two major symptoms our boy showed when he was suffering from a severe hookworm infestation. I should note that he'd had at least two negative fecal floats in the weeks prior to the one that finally showed hooks. For some reason, our vet seemed surprised by this, but apparently it's not at all uncommon.

 

The metronidazole is effective against bacteria and giardia but does nothing for worms, and monthly heartworm preventatives aren't enough to stop an acute infestation of GI worms. In any case, although you should of course talk with your vet, you do NOT need a prescription for Panacur and there's no need to use the liquid formulation. You can buy the granules (either Panacur C or Safe-Guard) at pet stores, vet's offices, or any online pet pharmacy. These are simply sprinkled onto food and they seem quite palatable to my boy, though you will need to get him to eat something to dose him. If worms are the culprit, he should start feeling better in a few days.

[Walliered]

Thanks, Greygeek, vet still does not think it is worms, but I told her the 3 days he was on Panacur were the happiest I have seen him. We have to do three more days in three weeks after the first go around. I am the one that suggested he had hookworms...she immediately said that she did not think so because he is on Heart Guard Plus..well, I told her my first greyhound had them and he never had missed a dose of Heartguard. She seemed surprised to hear that. But, thanks for telling me that I do not need a script to get Panacur. I will keep everyone posted. I feed TOTW Pacific Stream and Dick Van Patten's Bison and Sweet Potato. Maybe I need to switch to a crap food like Science Diet and things would settle down???

[greymatters]

Thanks, Greygeek, vet still does not think it is worms, but I told her the 3 days he was on Panacur were the happiest I have seen him. We have to do three more days in three weeks after the first go around. I am the one that suggested he had hookworms...she immediately said that she did not think so because he is on Heart Guard Plus..well, I told her my first greyhound had them and he never had missed a dose of Heartguard. She seemed surprised to hear that. But, thanks for telling me that I do not need a script to get Panacur. I will keep everyone posted. I feed TOTW Pacific Stream and Dick Van Patten's Bison and Sweet Potato. Maybe I need to switch to a crap food like Science Diet and things would settle down???

You're welcome . And seriously, what is it with some vets being so dense about hooks? I'm sorry, but I really think that vets should be expected to understand the life cycles of common parasites and know that monthly Heartgard Plus will not necessarily prevent hookworm. If your boy seemed better while on the Panacur, that alone should be a pretty big clue for your vet!

 

You may have already seen zombrie's thread about what she's gone through with her Doolin, but if not here's a link to a post there that might be helpful. Re dosing schedule, I believe you can give multiple rounds two weeks apart rather than three, and you'll want a fecal about two weeks after the last round. JMO, but I'd probably dose both dogs while you're at it, and I'd also be inclined to hold off on any food changes (unless you want to feed a homecooked bland diet for while) until you've ruled out/knocked out any parasites.

 

Good luck!

[Walliered]

Ok, I just picked him up from the vets..the plan of attack is: Continue on with Metroidazone 500mg twice a day and 10 days of Panacur..she is waiting on the GI Lab Panel reports. She said he does not test positive for hookworms or gardia (sp?). She said to keep feeding him TOTW Pacific stream only...no treats. I guess the 100 bully sticks from Bestbullysticks.com are a big waste of money for my dogs..His stomach is still growling and he still has the Big D. with some blood in it.

 

Thanks for caring, Nan

[Batmom]

If you feel the bully sticks caused/contributed to his problems, bet anything you'll be able to resell them to someone on here . There are pups whose innards don't agree with them and/or who tend to gobble rather than chew, but also many pups who love them.

 

Hope he is feeling better soonest.

[Guest Swifthounds]

Also, if there was GI upset already before you gave the bully stick, just about anything is going to cause GI upset. Once you sort out the GI issues, bully sticks may be just fine. Oh, and some if the best/safest beef stock comes from Brazil, so not being u.s. sourced isn't a reason to avoid them.

 

Are you fasting after periods of diarrhea? I would give the pup a good 12 hours of fasting, with plenty of water available and then start slowly back on something bland.

[Walliered]

He fasted himself for amost 72 hours before he ate or drank anything. Then when he did he ate what the vet gave him and that was TOTW Pacific Stream. She then started him on Panacur and tested his stool (he was in the crate when he had the Big D) That is when she repeated herself and said he does not check positive for worms. He has a lot of gas. He is feeling better because of the Panacur and is running a little outside. She said besides killing worms, Panacur is like "Pepto Bismo" and will coat his stomach and make him feel much better. She is right about feeling better. I just wonder how long before the other dog comes down with it..usually they follow withing 2-3 days of each other..same symptoms. Thanks so much again.

[Guest ravenchilde]

My heart goes out to you!!!

 

My girl Miley had a hook infestation, and my vet ran 2 negative fecals and was POSITIVE she didn't have worms. (Essentially, we had a positive fecal for hooks, treated with Panacur, then tested the poop 2 weeks after that (negative) and then another two weeks after that (negative) and then a week later, positive for hooks again!) She was totally wrong, and Miley was so sick, I felt like I was always at the vets with her. Anyways, we've dewormed her 4 times over 6 weeks, and now going to worm every month for a year. We used Panacur to start (5 days), going to follow up with 9 doses of Lopatol and then switch over to Interceptor for 5 more doses. Hopefully that knocks them dead.

 

Also, hard to do when your grey has the big D, but try to clean up any feces as soon as possible so Hook eggs and larvae don't take up residence in your back yard.

 

Good luck! I hope your greys feel better soon! I'm sending you many healing vibes.

[Walliered]

Here is the latest update on Huck. He is on his 2nd day of Panacur and his stools are formed, his stomach is quite, his eyes are bright and he feels good. We have 8 more days of Panacur. I am not giving him anything to eat except his food..no treats at all. I am not walking him on the golf course, only in the street. She is still waiting on the blood test (2nd) to come back. Thanks so much everyone.

[Guest Swifthounds]

Glad to hear Huck is feeling better.

[45MPHK9]

Glad to hear that Huck is feeling a bit better. We will be thinking good thoughts for your boy.