Ok To Try Panacur Again?

[Guest driser]

When we got our Greyhound last summer (2011) he was finally diagnosed with hook worm after many false negative fecal sample tests, so we are aware that the fecal sample isn't always an accurate test. His symptoms were on and off diarrhea. It took three rounds of Panacur, but finally we had solid poops for many months. Then...it started again ... after he ate a strangers poo (likely skunk or rabbit as those seem to be the only that get his attention). a month plus ago we took in a fecal sample, but it came back negative. The vet we took him to for that (not our usual) dewormed him with a one-dose product (I don't recall the name) just in case. However, we are still having on again/off again issues ranging from soft stools to full on diarrhea.

 

Question is this:

1) is sometimes firm stool, sometimes soft stool a norm for Greyhounds in general?

2) should we be concerned only if/when the true diarrhea returns (I like the word picture I read somewhere here, "it's like picking up pea soup with a sandwich bag")?

3) Branigan's Retired Racer book tells us to NEVER deworm 'just because', yet we read here that it's often recommended by vets and experienced Greyhound owners. What should we believe? Is there harm in trying Panacur again which worked last Summer?

 

A last bit of information that may play a role in this, my husband travels for work a lot, so there is the reoccurring stressor of his "pack" being short a valued member. Though he seems to be getting used to it, he's still very mopey the first night so it does appear to still be affecting him. We are unable to tell if that stressor is the benign cause of his firm/soft issue.

[greyhead]

When we got our Greyhound last summer (2011) he was finally diagnosed with hook worm after many false negative fecal sample tests, so we are aware that the fecal sample isn't always an accurate test. His symptoms were on and off diarrhea. It took three rounds of Panacur, but finally we had solid poops for many months. Then...it started again ... after he ate a strangers poo (likely skunk or rabbit as those seem to be the only that get his attention). a month plus ago we took in a fecal sample, but it came back negative. The vet we took him to for that (not our usual) dewormed him with a one-dose product (I don't recall the name) just in case. However, we are still having on again/off again issues ranging from soft stools to full on diarrhea.

 

Question is this:

1) is sometimes firm stool, sometimes soft stool a norm for Greyhounds in general?

2) should we be concerned only if/when the true diarrhea returns (I like the word picture I read somewhere here, "it's like picking up pea soup with a sandwich bag")?

3) Branigan's Retired Racer book tells us to NEVER deworm 'just because', yet we read here that it's often recommended by vets and experienced Greyhound owners. What should we believe? Is there harm in trying Panacur again which worked last Summer?

 

A last bit of information that may play a role in this, my husband travels for work a lot, so there is the reoccurring stressor of his "pack" being short a valued member. Though he seems to be getting used to it, he's still very mopey the first night so it does appear to still be affecting him. We are unable to tell if that stressor is the benign cause of his firm/soft issue.

1) Not really, IMHO. That said, second and third poops are usually of lesser quality than the first. And as you know, greyhounds are sensitive creatures and many things can upset their digestion and lead to poorer poop quality. But if it's just from a stressful incident, it should resolve quickly, in no more than a few days, and should not return and keep cycling that way.

2) No, you shouldn't wait that long to become concerned. Poop quality may be the least of your worries with hookworm (speaking from experience).

3) Some share Branigan's opinion, some don't. Knowing the damage worms can do -- especially hookworm -- and that a proper dewormer doesn't hurt them, I disagree with Branigan.

 

You might search hookworm* in the H&M archives and learn a lot. I hate to rehash it all here. Suffice to say, though, that we over a 9-month period we had two negative fecals before getting the positive one. Interestingly, the poop we took in for that third sample was of relatively good quality, which makes me wonder if bad poop happens when the worms are making mischief in the intestines while good poop happens when they're shedding eggs. I'm sure you know that it's only the eggs that fecals detect. Anyhow, that was a long enough period for our dog to get a permanent case of hookworm. So if it took a long time to discover your dog's hookworm, I'd say it wouldn't be unreasonable for you to suppose that you'll be using a monthly "preventive" like Interceptor and periodically administering Panacur or Drontal.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Edited to amend answer to #1.

Edited February 22, 2012 by greyhead

[sweetdogs]

I agree with greyhead. When my girl had them, it took a couple of rounds of panacur then a round of drontal & then 6 months of interceptor. She is worm free but I'll be keeping a close eye on her for a while. And she never had any symptoms - just a very positive fecal.

 

I don't think soft poop is normal (ugh, just had a vision of those incessant Activia/Jamie Lee Curtis commercials ). So I'd keep trying to find out what is bothering him. Could very well be the worms. You really do want to hit em hard & knock em out if you can. They are tenacious little buggers & can do some permanent damage. If he's not getting better after some aggressive worming though, you may want to look at diet. I'm a raw feeder so that's always my suggestion but I know that's not what most people want to feed.

 

Good luck with your boy - he sounds like a sweetie.