dbullwinkel Posted July 26, 2013 Share Posted July 26, 2013 (edited) Missy (14) has been getting injections of Ichon as a replacement for adequan . My vet gave the go ahead after researching it at my request. Injections started June 15 weekly ( same as adequan) with no issues. July 9 I gave her her infection. She also took heart guard plus chewable the same day. The next day she had no appetite and started with diarrhea. Flagyl did not help. The next day she had bloody liquid diarrhea . Needed up at vet as we had a funeral for my mother in law. All blood work was normal.Her bms are normal now. Vet suggested keeping her on flagyl once daily as a precaution. Today I gave he rather Ichon injection,,,skipped it last week. As I wrote it on the calendar, I realized the diarrhea started the day after the Ichon/heartworm. Now I am panic stricken that it is the Ichon. This was the WORST diarrhea I have ever seen. Side effects of adequan can be stomach issues, but she nevertheless had a problem before. Maybe it was the heartworm meds. Or the combination of the two? or simply a coincidence? My ig also gets the injection..he has had no stomach issues. As a precaution I gave her a second flagyl tonight and am making rice. Has anyone had issues with diarrhea following adequan and or heart guard? I am hoping she doesn't start acting sick again. We almost put her down last time as she was so sick. Also this last diarrhea episode and one prior to it coincided with restarting meloxicam, she is so longer on that...up to now that is what I thought it was from. Sorry so long! Edited July 26, 2013 by dbullwinkel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KF_in_Georgia Posted July 26, 2013 Share Posted July 26, 2013 Both my dogs had diarrhea on Heartgard Plus. Lots of other dogs have had that problem, too. My bet is the heartworm meds--maybe in combination, but it may be that your girl is developing an intolerance. But don't go back to the meloxicam. It's hard on the stomach and it might well have been part of the problem. If all's well after this Ichon, try Heartgard Plus well away from the Ichon if that's what you need to use. Stay clear of the meloxicam completely, and try to keep future heartworm meds separate from other major meds. Quote Kathy and Q (CRT Qadeer from Fuzzy's Cannon and CRT Bonnie) and Jane (WW's Aunt Jane from Trent Lee and Aunt M); photos to come. Missing Silver (5.19.2005-10.27.2016), Tigger (4.5.2007-3.18.2016), darling Sam (5.10.2000-8.8.2013), Jacey-Kasey (5.19.2003-8.22.2011), and Oreo (1997-3.30.2006) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbullwinkel Posted July 26, 2013 Author Share Posted July 26, 2013 Thanks. Keeping my fingers crossed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finnsliz Posted July 27, 2013 Share Posted July 27, 2013 Does she really need to be on Heartguard at all at 14? I don't give heartworm meds to my 14 year old. Quote <p>Finn, Wink, Birdie, Snap and SmokeyJG Quicknfast 7/25/99-5/16/08, JG Quickwink 7/25/99-9/22/13, Iruska SweetDuv 7/19/03-11/9/16, Delbar 6/11/11 and Catahoula Smokey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KF_in_Georgia Posted July 27, 2013 Share Posted July 27, 2013 The thing about heartworm meds is that they help prevent more parasites than just heartworms. Taking a dog off of them lays her open to increased risk of roundworms and hookworms, both of which Heartgard Plus can help prevent. Either of those might be more than Missy can handle at this point. For my money, the meloxicam is the most likely. My Sam got an ulcer from it and can no longer have any NSAIDs. And Missy had two episodes, close to meloxicam doses. But the Heartgard Plus is known to cause diarrhea in some dogs--there have been threads on here about it--so it's possible that the Heartgard Plus, even if it was tolerated before, just was too much on top of the meloxicam. Missy had the Ichon injection already. So now it's a matter of waiting to see if everything goes well. At the first sign of trouble, dbullwinkel can get her to the vet. If all goes well after this injection, I'd talk to her vet about the possibility of an injectable heartworm med. From what I've heard, it's the flavoring in Heartgard Plus that triggers the diarrhea, so an injectable might be safer. Quote Kathy and Q (CRT Qadeer from Fuzzy's Cannon and CRT Bonnie) and Jane (WW's Aunt Jane from Trent Lee and Aunt M); photos to come. Missing Silver (5.19.2005-10.27.2016), Tigger (4.5.2007-3.18.2016), darling Sam (5.10.2000-8.8.2013), Jacey-Kasey (5.19.2003-8.22.2011), and Oreo (1997-3.30.2006) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbullwinkel Posted July 27, 2013 Author Share Posted July 27, 2013 I have thought of the need for heartworm medicine at her age, but she is a bad girl outside..if not supervised she will eat dirt and anything else..I worry about picking up parasites. I too am thinking and hoping it was the meloxicam as it was the common thing to both episodes. I threw them I the garbage. She had been on for years..then stopped after depo shot. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dante2zoe Posted July 27, 2013 Share Posted July 27, 2013 Poor baby, let us know how she does. My whippet could not tolerate Interceptor and it gave him projectile diarrhea. That was fun, NOT. Anyway, I just got the Ichon and hope that your experience improves. Brady will need it in another couple weeks when our last vial of Adequan runs out. Quote Cindy with Miss Fancypants, Paris Bueller, Zeke, and Angus Dante (Dg's Boyd), Zoe (In a While), Brady (Devilish Effect), Goose (BG Shotgun), Maverick (BG ShoMe), Maggie (All Trades Jax), Sherman (LNB Herman Bad) and Indy (BYB whippet) forever in my heart The flame that burns the brightest, burns the fastest and leaves the biggest shadow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbullwinkel Posted July 27, 2013 Author Share Posted July 27, 2013 Poor baby, let us know how she does. My whippet could not tolerate Interceptor and it gave him projectile diarrhea. That was fun, NOT. Anyway, I just got the Ichon and hope that your experience improves. Brady will need it in another couple weeks when our last vial of Adequan runs out. I totally understand..that is what she had! Liquid projectile. OMG...the worst!! I was happy with the Ichon as far as helping her pain. Also much less cost wise compared to adequan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dante2zoe Posted July 27, 2013 Share Posted July 27, 2013 I totally understand..that is what she had! Liquid projectile. OMG...the worst!! I was happy with the Ichon as far as helping her pain. Also much less cost wise compared to adequan I got the room repainted after that! It took me a couple months before I connected the two, as well. Not the thing you want to be a slow learner with! Glad to hear it helps, though. Paws crossed (and knees together) that it works without issue. Quote Cindy with Miss Fancypants, Paris Bueller, Zeke, and Angus Dante (Dg's Boyd), Zoe (In a While), Brady (Devilish Effect), Goose (BG Shotgun), Maverick (BG ShoMe), Maggie (All Trades Jax), Sherman (LNB Herman Bad) and Indy (BYB whippet) forever in my heart The flame that burns the brightest, burns the fastest and leaves the biggest shadow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbullwinkel Posted July 27, 2013 Author Share Posted July 27, 2013 So far missy seems fine..so I guess the Ichon was not the culprit ..that's good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MnMDogs Posted July 27, 2013 Share Posted July 27, 2013 I wonder if it was simply a coincidence (and based on your last post, it sounds like it was). Starting in the first week of July with Greg, an awful round of diarrhea has made it's way through our dogs. Greg, Mork and Greg again, then finally Macy May came down with liquid, bloody diarrhea. The only one on adequan (not Ichon yet) is Mork, and the last dose of heartguard for all was June 18. Like your girl, Mork is a dirt eater, so he will stay on it. Mork is on metacam, and had one day of bloody diarrhea, so we took him off it for the week. But unlike Macy and Greg, the almost 14 year old wonder dog was pretty much back to normal after a day or 2 of chicken and rice, and his poop is now completely normal, no blood, no diarrhea... Macy and Greg both needed flagyl and they are still very soft. Both also had liquid projectile poop, some of which come out at Macy's vet visit last Sunday Anyway, I guess I'm just trying to say, based on what happened here, I wouldn't blame the meds since the only one at our house on those combo of meds is the only one who is actually back to 100%! Perhaps it was just a weird virus, which we think this was. Here's to hoping she's good as new soon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbullwinkel Posted July 27, 2013 Author Share Posted July 27, 2013 Thanks. Since it didn't effect my Ig I was not thinking it was a virus...but who knows. Sheis doing quite well for an old girl! Hope yours are getting back to normal! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KF_in_Georgia Posted July 27, 2013 Share Posted July 27, 2013 Since she had two episodes--and both involved meloxicam--I'd keep meloxicam on the suspect list. Quote Kathy and Q (CRT Qadeer from Fuzzy's Cannon and CRT Bonnie) and Jane (WW's Aunt Jane from Trent Lee and Aunt M); photos to come. Missing Silver (5.19.2005-10.27.2016), Tigger (4.5.2007-3.18.2016), darling Sam (5.10.2000-8.8.2013), Jacey-Kasey (5.19.2003-8.22.2011), and Oreo (1997-3.30.2006) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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