What Else Can This Be?

[Guest Hollys2hounds]

I posted yesterday about my new boy, Clipper... but I need more advice:

 

Clip became an "only" boy about 3 weeks ago. Just at the time my girl went to the bridge, Clipper had a very bad bout of diarrhea. He was on Metronidozole for one week. The diarrhea cleared up for a bit, but then came back with a vengeance. Another round of Metronidozole for 7 days. Cleared up again.

 

We did poop testing and blood work, and everything seems fine, However, his mood is WAY OFF.... I contributed it to a bit of depression, and separation anxiety.

 

This morning before work, he seemed GREAT! Mood was good, poops fine, etc.

Upon coming home from work, Clip had a gurgly tummy, and would not eat his dinner. Was not very social, and only perked up for a walk. I gave him a Pepcid. A few hours later he ate a bit of boiled chicken and rice, but not much. Mood is bad again.

 

On our walk tonight, his poop is mushy, and a bit mucus-y.

 

Vet again?

Metronidizole again?

What can this be?

What should I test for?

Can this all be from depression / anxiety?

 

Any and all help is greatly appreciated.

Edited August 20, 2014 by Hollys2hounds

[greyhead]

These symptoms could be several things. One thing is a resurgence of worms that have been dormant. Stress can do that.

Sometimes when there's tummy gurgling, as opposed to just lip-licking, we give Pepto Bismol. Or if it's a less liquidy-sounding gurgle, we'll give Gas-X.

I kind of doubt that stress itself would cause that much metronidazole-responsive diarrhea. But it might have set him up for physical problems to ensue. I'm sure others will chime in with suggestions here too, but I'd think you need to talk to your vet since he/she knows the history of this. I guess I'd just reiterate a caution I sometimes feel compelled to offer, which is not to over-psychologize the dog. Not that they don't have grief and other emotions, because they do. (We went through it last year at our house.) But if it segues into physical problems, we need to solve those physical problems, and then the psychology tends to improve when they feel better.

[Guest Hollys2hounds]

Greyhead, I completely agree, at this point I think it is physiological not psychological.... however, he is very attached to me, and paces for a half hour when I leave for work even though the kids are home with him.

I have never dealt with separation anxiety before, and did not know if it could manifest itself this way... thank you for your imput!

~Holly

[greysmom]

It *could* be anxiety related - from losing his friend, from being alone for the first time (separation anxiety), from underlying IBD which the anxiety caused to flare up, from worms, from a bad batch of food (if your bag was newly opened?). Or a combination of those and other causes.

 

If you haven't, you should do some "alone training" with him. Do a search in the Training&Behavior section for how-to's.

 

I would do a round of panacur, just to make sure it's not worms. Gurgly tums and Mucousy poops and diarrhea tend to make me think of IBD or some sort of intestinal inflammation - which is why the metronidazole worked.

 

Good luck!

[cometdust1]

I went through this with my boy when his fellow hound died. He never showed any signs of separation anxiety until his confident buddy died. My first day back to work I came home to curtains ripped down and torn, blinds destroyed, door frame chewed apart , doorknob crushed, and diarrhea and pee on the rug. He was never alone before. That was 2 years ago and he still has separation anxiety at certain times but has come a long way. Stress can bring on physical illness.