Health And Medical

[Guest StanleyCDog]

Hello,

Will have had my grey Stanley 4 weeks on Monday. Along with the typical loose poops, food issues and getting up to go out every two hours 2-3 times a week Stanley also gets car sick. Puked on the way home from vet this morning even after I kept him from food this morning till after vet visit. He has been on a chicken and rice diet for the past week due to chronic diarrhea and his Wellness food not agreeing with him. Anyone else have motion sick pet? I hate to think about trying the Dramamine ( as suggested by my vet) every time I need to take him to vet/ out!

[dmdsmoxie]

Try giving him ginger snap cookies or anything with ginger in it about 30 minutes before you go for a ride. If the motion sickness isn't to bad this will help.

 

Dick

Edited August 22, 2015 by dmdsmoxie

[tbhounds]

You could give cerenia (scripted from the vet) or the rec Dramamine. They will often adjust just by just doing short car trips-slowly lengthening the distance.

I have heard of so many dogs not doing well with the wellness food-I find that it's just to rich. Find a lower fat food to feed.

I'm assuming your vet had dietary recommendations?

Edited August 22, 2015 by tbhounds

[Guest StanleyCDog]

Thanks for the suggestions with the ginger.

I looked into the cerenia with my vet, but because of his weight it would be almost 40 dollars every time I gave it to him due to his 83lb weight. Vet has suggested switching to the Iams Vet low residue digestive formula in the red bag. Started last night giving him less than a 1/4 cup in his usual 2 cups per meal and he was up all night with diarhea. Will add smaller amounts going forward.

[NeylasMom]

Have you dewormed?

[greysmom]

I would de worm again, even if he has had a negative fecal recently. Hook worms are notoriously hard to get rid of, and sometimes take two or three courses of de-wormer to clear.

 

As far as the car sickness goes, you need to get his gut in good working order before you try anything. A lot of his nauseau may be just from feeling icky, no matter what the cause is. Also, if he's already having diarrhea, it won't help to slowly switch foods - it just keeps the diarrhea going longer. If it continues even after a couple weeks of the new food, consider switching to a different protein source - duck, turkey, white fish - as he may have an allergy.

 

Cerenia is a drug specifically created to help with dogs with carsickness. It affects the brain and not the stomach/digestive tract, and it does help. Though you can't give it continuously - only 5 days in a row. Our girl's car sickness cleared up quite quickly with accupuncture. Probably after the second session, she was able to ride without getting nauseaus and barfing in the car.

 

I would probably reduce the number of car rides for him until you get matters a bit more sorted, and he has a chance to settle in a bit more.

Edited August 22, 2015 by greysmom

[Guest StanleyCDog]

Thanks Greyaholic!

He has been dewormed in the last 3 weeks having just had his dose of anthalban this past Monday. He has only been in the car 2 times since we got him 4 weeks ago, both to the vet. My vet said Cerenia is not cost effective due to his weight. I remember my rescue whippet took it for vomiting. I submitted another fecal sample today because I understand the the worms are hard to get rid of in greys. Even if it comes back negative I will submit another one end of next week. My poor guys has been so good other than this intestinal issue and the carsickness. As far as the Iams prescription low residue digestive food....you are suggesting to switch him over faster? He has been on the chicken and rice for 7 days and had bad night of diahrea last night all night when I added just 10% new food. Getting depressed over this matter as in know my boy isn't feeling great!

[NeylasMom]

I would not depend on fecals. I would just deworm, with Panacur, initially then at 3 weeks and again a month later. Agree with Greysmom to try to address the GI issues first before doing too much with the car sickness. If the chicken and rice was agreeing with him, I might do home cooked until he's better for a while. Also, get him on a probiotic. Gotta get his gut healed before you start trying different foods.

[Newgreymom]

I would try probiotic like Purina's Forta Flora. It helped Dylan's diarrhea immensely.

[greysmom]

Sorry I misunderstood - If his stools have been good on chicken and rice - no diarrhea, fairly firm, good color (not weird but poop colored!) - then I would keep him on it for a bit longer before trying to switch. It won't hurt him to eat it for a few weeks. Only if his poop has been consistently bad with no occasions of good stools, then I would just switch him.

 

Stomach issues take a while to work out, especially with a dog new to home life. Everything is new for him! Be calm and patient and don't try and rush him.

[Guest StanleyCDog]

Thanks everyone for all the advice. It is so nice to have a forum to ask questions and brainstorm. I don't feel as alone as I have for the past few weeks! I will keep Stanley on the chicken and rice for a while longer and add a probiotic. I just want to get him comfortable and sleeping through the night. He is such a sweet, mellow, mild mannered boy. Just want him to feel great and be happy!

[Newgreymom]

You can order the Purina Forta Flora on Amazon. Good luck and keep us posted.

[juliemac]

while you're waiting to get forti-flora, try adding a bit (a tablespoon) of plain yoghurt to his food (let him lick a spoon first, though - mine will walk away from plain yoghurt, but will steal my peach flavored yoghurt).

 

Welcome to Greytalk, and don't forget that we want to see pictures!!!

[Guest StanleyCDog]

why can I not figure out how to post a picture.....it won't let me copy and paste!