Sick Girl...not Sure How Long This Will Last.

[Guest LunaTheGreyt]

Poor Luna is having a sickly day. She was fine w/ normal appetite and stool this morning, but I got home from work and she had had diarrhea (no blood and not much mucus, just...D) all over her crate. I put her in the bathroom to clean things up, and 5 minutes later the bathroom was covered too. Once outside she had another episode. I took her to the vet where she vomited and $170 later she had a fecal sample (negative), got 2 injections (1 antibiotic, 1 to settle her stomach), metrodinazole pills (starting tomorrow), and I/D canned food (starting a very small amount tomorrow). Since we got back from the vet, she's had 3 more major bouts of D (two outside and one on one of our huge Costco bolster beds while I was cleaning out the crate, ugh). I live in a 750 sq ft apartment so the whole place reeks! We're also on the fourth floor so making frequent trips outside has been rough.

 

Does this "bug" sound familiar to any of you, and if so how long do you think it'll last? I'm thinking I should probably just suck it up and get a sub for tomorrow and just take the day off (I'm a teacher...takes forever to write plans for a full day sub).

 

Also, do you think I could give her a Pepto pill on top of the injections? The pooping is out of control.

Edited October 24, 2013 by LunaTheGreyt

[Guest BlueCrab]

I'm sure others will chime in, but I've had really good luck with Slippery elm Bark to calm the stomach and stop the runs. I've followed that with a fast for probably a day to allow the stomach to settle, then starting back with small amounts of bland diet - e.g. boiled plain chicken, cooked/rinsed hamburger, plain soft-cooked white rice. After a few days building back up towards full-sized meals on the bland diet, we're back to normal. I don't recall off-hand what the "recipe" is for the Slippery Elm, but I can re-post when I get home. You can buy the pills at most health food stores or at Mom's, Roots, etc. You open the capsule and mix the powder with water until it forms a paste. It's somewhat sweet, so Leyland will usually eat it right up without anything else.

 

In my case, tho, we usually know what it is that causes it: Leyland can't have "strange" water. Sets his tummy off immediately, so we always have to travel with a large quantity of our own water. I would imagine first you need to determine what caused the problem to start with before you can pursue proper treatment.

 

Sorry you're going thru this.

[Guest LunaTheGreyt]

Nothing has changed in her surroundings, diet, or water, and the vet was unable to tell me what caused it. I'm at a loss! I do have slippery elm bark powder (not the pills, just the powder) but the last time she had D it didn't help at all so I'm hesitant to give her any now. Thanks for your reply.

[brindlehound]

You mentioned that your vet gave you I/D food. Did your vet suggest a bland diet? I used skinless chicken and rice on Magic when he was sick a few years ago.

[Houndtime]

Slippery elm has to be mixed with water to make a paste. She will lick it up. I would fast her for the rest of today. Let her stomach rest. I hope she is better by tomorrow.

[macoduck]

Any chance that she's lapped up puddled water outside? Or from birdbaths?

[KF_in_Georgia]

Has she had any treats? Jerky? Pig ears? Rawhide? It wouldn't have to be anything new. It could be a bad bit of something she usually eats without a problem.

 

(And I wouldn't recommend Pepto if the vet didn't suggest it.)

Edited October 24, 2013 by KF_in_Georgia

[Guest LunaTheGreyt]

You mentioned that your vet gave you I/D food. Did your vet suggest a bland diet? I used skinless chicken and rice on Magic when he was sick a few years ago.

Yes but I'm only supposed to give her a few spoonfuls of the I/D 3x tomorrow, 3-4 times on Saturday, and start reintroducing a little kibble on Sunday along with the I/D. Just what the vet said.

 

Slippery elm has to be mixed with water to make a paste. She will lick it up. I would fast her for the rest of today. Let her stomach rest. I hope she is better by tomorrow.

Yep I have given it to her before...just didn't seem to work. Yes she is being fasted until tomorrow AM where she's just getting a small amount of I/D. Thanks!

 

Any chance that she's lapped up puddled water outside? Or from birdbaths?

Seems unlikely since she is only ever leash-walked in well-maintained areas. Not ruling it out, just saying it's unlikely.

 

Has she had any treats? Jerky? Pig ears? Rawhide? It wouldn't have to be anything new. It could be a bad bit of something she usually eats without a problem.

 

(And I wouldn't recommend Pepto if the vet didn't suggest it.)

She gets 2 different biscuits (Blue Buffalo & a turkey/pumpkin one I can't remember the brand of) but no jerky/rawhide/pig ears. My other dog is eating all the same treats and isn't sick.

[Guest k9soul]

Oh that is miserable for Luna and for you. Had a similar situation in my apartment days so I empathize with the smell and clean-up misery. I always find things like this so worrisome, but hopefully the medications kick in and settle things down soon. The antibiotic should hopefully tackle any bacterial infections it could be. Lots of good thoughts going out to you and your girl.

[4My2Greys]

Poor Luna and poor you . I hope she gets to feeling better soon.

[Guest Clawsandpaws]

Dudley has had some bouts of bad D, but we were lucky that he only messed in the house once. When dudley was sick, it was just a one day thing, but he didn't have it as explosive as Lunas'.

 

Can't help with the medical, but did she mess on any carpet? I do have a trick for getting stains out!

[Guest NRN13]

Poor Luna!! And strangely, Cleo had the same thing last week! Maybe it's a NoVa virus? She was sick for 4 or 5 days. I mean wake-me-up-in-the-middle-of-the-night for diarrhea sick. One night she woke us up crying 5 times between midnight and 7 a.m. and we took her out each time. Thankfully, she made it. By morning there wasn't much left in her, so it sort of subsided. But would start again later in the day when she'd eat again. And not to be too graphic (sorry!), but it was explosive, complete liquid, super stinky D. So we finally fasted her for a day, and went to the vet. Nothing in the stool sample. He examined her and thought it was some kind of allergy or maybe a bug she picked up somewhere. She also is only leash walked around our neighborhood and doesn't eat weird stuff, so who knows. He prescribed flagyl and we switched her to a fish based grain-free food (the new Iams Sensitve Naturals) after a day and a half on rice, yogurt, and baked sweet potatoes. She is much better now. She seems to be feeling good and her poops are pretty normal (for her). No middle of the night shenanigans (thank God! On the 4th night, we felt like we were living with a new baby in the house!) So I'm sorry I don't have any real answers. Maybe it's just something going around. We are thankfully past it and hopefully Luna will be soon too. Hang in there, it will be ok!! Keep that water bowl full

[Guest LunaTheGreyt]

Dudley has had some bouts of bad D, but we were lucky that he only messed in the house once. When dudley was sick, it was just a one day thing, but he didn't have it as explosive as Lunas'.

 

Can't help with the medical, but did she mess on any carpet? I do have a trick for getting stains out!

Luckily nothing on the carpet! She pretty much destroyed the super-absorbant mattress of the Costco bed (I never thought to put a trash bag around it, ugh!) but the outer covering and bolsters are fine. Thank god my apartment is 90% laminate wood and tile.

 

Poor Luna!! And strangely, Cleo had the same thing last week! Maybe it's a NoVa virus? She was sick for 4 or 5 days. I mean wake-me-up-in-the-middle-of-the-night for diarrhea sick. One night she woke us up crying 5 times between midnight and 7 a.m. and we took her out each time. Thankfully, she made it. By morning there wasn't much left in her, so it sort of subsided. But would start again later in the day when she'd eat again. And not to be too graphic (sorry!), but it was explosive, complete liquid, super stinky D. So we finally fasted her for a day, and went to the vet. Nothing in the stool sample. He examined her and thought it was some kind of allergy or maybe a bug she picked up somewhere. She also is only leash walked around our neighborhood and doesn't eat weird stuff, so who knows. He prescribed flagyl and we switched her to a fish based grain-free food (the new Iams Sensitve Naturals) after a day and a half on rice, yogurt, and baked sweet potatoes. She is much better now. She seems to be feeling good and her poops are pretty normal (for her). No middle of the night shenanigans (thank God! On the 4th night, we felt like we were living with a new baby in the house!) So I'm sorry I don't have any real answers. Maybe it's just something going around. We are thankfully past it and hopefully Luna will be soon too. Hang in there, it will be ok!! Keep that water bowl full

Aww poor Cleo. Glad she's better now. Must be a NoVa virus, lol. I am planning on sleeping on the couch in the living room with her in the crate tonight (my bedroom's the only room with carpet, and the crate won't fit thru the door anyway!) I am not phased by anything after all the crap I cleaned up today. I used to work at a boarding kennel so I've seen and smelled some pretty vile things...today was right up there with the worst of it! Luna hasn't tolerated grain-free in the past and she's been thriving on the Iams green bag for the past few weeks, but I will look into that new Iams food - sounds intriguing! I really hope to god I don't have to wake up every hour with her tonight...supposed to be the coldest night of the season thus far! We shall see. She did a small-ish amount of liquid D when I took her out about an hour ago, and is now fast asleep in the crate. I'm in the process of writing my sub plans...I have to go into work for an hour or so tomorrow morning to prep for my sub so hopefully she'll be okay for that period of time!

Edited October 25, 2013 by LunaTheGreyt

[Roo]

Shortly after I switched Eli to Iams green bag, he had something similar. Woke up to poo (it had been ingested and vomited up) all over his crate - took him out, he had more and threw up a few times, so off to the vet we went! Vet kept him all day (I was at school), said "gastroenteritis" and gave us metronidazole and some I/D food for the next day. The diarrhea was gone the second day and he was mostly back to himself. The same thing happened exactly a month later (still with no actual known cause). I don't know if it happened a third time because I had to give him back to the rescue and I'm not in touch with his new mommy Hopefully Luna's big d will be gone tomorrow morning and she can start to feel better

[Guest NRN13]

Cleo likes this new Iams food. She was on the Iams green bag, but after the D and the fact that really her poops were kind of soft before that anyway, we switched. She loves the new one and maybe the fish oils in it will help her coat, she's having some itchiness and has licked/bitten a bald spot.

 

Anyway, good luck. I hope it passes quickly. I so feel your pain! And I hate not really knowing the cause, but I guess that's the way it is sometimes. Do you teach in FCPS? I'm a kindergarten IA. Hugs to Luna!

[GeorgeofNE]

Your dog is clearly ill. You spend money and took her to the vet. Please CALL THE VET if she's not improving. It could be serious. I'm stunned they suggested feeding her at all. Normally 24 hours of fasting when a dog has diarrhea that badly is called for.

[Guest LunaTheGreyt]

Cleo likes this new Iams food. She was on the Iams green bag, but after the D and the fact that really her poops were kind of soft before that anyway, we switched. She loves the new one and maybe the fish oils in it will help her coat, she's having some itchiness and has licked/bitten a bald spot.

 

Anyway, good luck. I hope it passes quickly. I so feel your pain! And I hate not really knowing the cause, but I guess that's the way it is sometimes. Do you teach in FCPS? I'm a kindergarten IA. Hugs to Luna!

Thanks! She is already feeling much better but I am taking the day off anyway to keep an eye on her. I teach first grade in PWCS

 

Your dog is clearly ill. You spend money and took her to the vet. Please CALL THE VET if she's not improving. It could be serious. I'm stunned they suggested feeding her at all. Normally 24 hours of fasting when a dog has diarrhea that badly is called for.

She hasn't had diarrhea since late last night, but I am still staying home to keep an eye on her. I will definitely call the vet if anything happens. And it was over a 24 hour fast for her...she had only eaten at 6:30 yesterday morning before I gave her a little of the i/d around 8am today.

[Guest RMarie]

Hugs for Luna (and you!)

[Sambuca]

I wouldn't give her anything the vet didn't mention. He's given her prescriptions and I'd be worried anything else would counteract the meds.

[Neighsayer]

Hope it all clears up soon.

[Guest Branna]

I'm so sorry to hear she was ill, but hopefully it sounds like she may be over the worst?

[Guest LunaTheGreyt]

So far, so good. She was so bad last night I was worried it would continue into today! Luckily that doesn't seem to be the case. I'll continue meds and bland diet. No Pepto was given, btw Thanks for all the advice!

[Guest kkaiser104]

This sounds a lot like what Winchester had a few weeks ago. I fasted him for more then 24 hours (3 meals) and then slowly introduced macaroni and chicken as he doesn't tolerate rice. He ate bland for more then a week and finally got over it. I live in 600 sq. ft. so I know the pain of that smell too :/ I used vinegar solution in my spot bot and it got the smell out just fine. I was worried I was going to have to rent a rug doctor.

[Guest LunaTheGreyt]

This sounds a lot like what Winchester had a few weeks ago. I fasted him for more then 24 hours (3 meals) and then slowly introduced macaroni and chicken as he doesn't tolerate rice. He ate bland for more then a week and finally got over it. I live in 600 sq. ft. so I know the pain of that smell too :/ I used vinegar solution in my spot bot and it got the smell out just fine. I was worried I was going to have to rent a rug doctor.

 

Thankfully I don't have carpet! I can't imagine what I would be dealing with if I did. The smell has dissipated -- had to leave the balcony door open for a while last night despite the cold temps! She's been okay so far today so I'll give her another small meal this afternoon.

[Acadianarose]

Is it possible it is from the antibiotics that she is taking for her UTI?