Chronic Digestive Problems.....

[Guest DocOtt]

Our new 4yo boy, off the track for 1.5 months has

had chronic diarrhea.

We have tried different kibble and find the

real healthy ones are too much for him and

the Purina 1 is best, but we would prefer to

go to a better one.

He is currently being fed: 1C raw hamburger,

1C white rice, oatmeal. We have fed him

yogurt, pumpkin. Chicken is a no-no as are

chicken kibble.

 

Any suggestions as we are tired of cleaning the

den carpet?

 

Any help for us before we head to the vet?

 

Anybody use a probiotic for their grey?

 

Thank you much!!

[cleptogrey]

sounds like a trip to your vet is needed. yes, to the rice and chop meat,20% meat, 80% rice per meal- i usually feed 3-4c rice per meal- nothing else w/ upset guts. but he needs a couple of meals of that daily. bring in a stool sample and have it checked, maybe worms(very likely), maybe(most likely) bacteria in his gut that needs to be cleaned up- flagyl can be your best friend. it often takes more than one round of flagyl to clean up the gut. be patient, buy 20# sack of white rice and don't go ballistic changing kibbles. what was he fed as a foster? stay in touch w/ your vet. (oh, none of my dogs have had luck w/ pumpkin- we're a white rice household).

be patient, use your vet's knowledge.

[a_daerr]

It's not too uncommon for him to be having diarrhea if he's only been of the track for six weeks (and if you've already switched his food several times). I reccommend Iams green bag to everyone I know because it's worked so well for both of my boys... however, it's chicken-based. They do make a lamb-based formula (red bag) as an alternative. It already has probiotics and beet pulp in it. The probiotics help with digestion, the beet pulp is a fiber source that firms up poops. I'm not kidding, it immediately worked wonders with both of my hounds. Just curious, does you guy not tolerate all chicken-based foods, or just a certain brand?

 

Whatever route you decide to go, first rule out the possibility of worms, then find a food that works well.

[GreyTzu]

Worm him, several times, regardless of what the poop check shows. Worm him!!

 

Also, pick a kibble and stay with it. A few days is not going to tell you much. Need to give it a few weeks to see results. I would also consider adding acidophiles tabs. to his food. This is what would happen in my house. Good luck.

[Roo]

I'd recommend Iams as well - my boy's on it and he's had solid poops since then (well, minus a self-inflicted bacterial infection that we're working through). Though it may seem like a bad supermarket food, it really is pretty good - and the rescue sent me home with a "recommended care sheet" that included Iams on the list of good foods to feed Greys.

 

I'd second the call for the vet, too. Your boy may have bacteria hanging out in there that needs to be gotten rid of - definitely worth a try.

[Guest undergreysspell]

I had to go to a salmon based food - proplan sensitive stomach - firmed her right up - she also couldn't eat chicken based food . I also put a tablespoon of plain greek yogurt and some frozen green beans on top.

[greytpups]

I'm not sure how many times you changed kibble in the last 1.5 months but it sounds fairly often which may be a huge contributing factor. It takes more than a couple of days to transition from one type of kibble to another to decrease the chances of the bid D. Deworm him as others have mentioned may help too.

[Guest DocOtt]

Thank you much to all.

Have called the vet and made an appointment.

We are going with more white rice and then the

Iams green for a while.

Will see this week if he has a bug in his tummy

that needs to be cleared.

Thank you all for such quick and informative responses.

Now if I knew how to post a pic of him I would!

[Guest BrindleBabes]

If he is sensitive to chicken, try the Iams red bag (lamb and rice). It has worked for my girls, although I have started to add California Naturals venison & potato (grain-free) and they love it. My vet says it should take a month to transition them to new food (e.g., substitute 1/4 c. first week, 1/2 c. 2nd week, etc.) though I have been known to speed it up a little.

 

Good luck -- the search for a solution to the big D is worth it!

[Guest RMarie]

I know how you feel. Our boy had similar issues. Definitely check for worms. If worms are present, the vet may prescribe Flagyl. My grey cannot tolerate Flagyl; it instantly made his poops worse. There is something else the vet can prescribe, instead. Do not switch foods quickly and for now, definitely mix in probiotics. After several rounds of Flagyl and special food (boiled chicken, rice, low-residue vet food) with no improvement and a lot of weight loss, we switched to the kibble we'd purchased in anticipation of adoption (Nature's Domain salmon meal and sweet potato...from Costco). After several weeks, his poops firmed up. Give it time and be patient. Good luck!!!

[Guest grey_dreams]

Just wanted to mention, that a lot of dogs can't tolerate white rice and get explosive diarrhea. Try oatmeal instead of rice. Oatmeal fiber is much better for them and oatmeal has a much higher nutritional value. I use Quaker Old Fashioned oats, approximately 3 teaspoons per 60 pound dog (start off with just 2 teaspoons and you can work your way up to 4 teaspoons). Just pour boiling water over the oats, enough to cover in excess. Let cool, then pour all of it into the food and mix well.

[Guest Trentsmom]

I had to go to a salmon based food - proplan sensitive stomach - firmed her right up - she also couldn't eat chicken based food . I also put a tablespoon of plain greek yogurt and some frozen green beans on top.

I also have had good luck with Salmon base- we fee the Natures Domain sold at Costco, good price too.