Why Do Your Hounds Get Grumbly Tummies?

[Guest Lygracilux]

Fusion has always had tummy issues since we got him (as most of you know)

It was really bad the first year or so-big d (with blood), vomiting, lethargic, etc.

 

We finally got him on a good food about 6 months ago that he likes, gives a good output, gives him energy, and keeps his skin clear and fur soft. We also added in Olewo carrots and that did wonders. He hasnt really had an issue since unless he gets into something hes not supposed to.

Quick background refresher: He tested positive and was treated for hookworms when he first arrived at the rescue-and since then he hasnt had one positive stool sample for hooks and we've done about 5 or 6 over the past two years. But because of his symptoms I have dewormed him a few times anyways.

The last time being about a month ago-right before we started moving he started getting the grumblys in the morning and showing symptoms again. So I did 3 days of panacur, and then did it again after 2 weeks-his last treatment was about 3 weeks ago. He was great after that, back to normal.

 

Now again, the past few mornings hes been getting the morning grumbles, going out and eating grass, and not eating his breakfast right away-takes him about an hour to finally start eating and thats after I give him a pepcid and some bread.

 

Other than the morning issues hes fine-been active, happy, etc. No problems eating in the evening and no grumbles at night. His output has been a little softer than normal-but I just thought it was nerves as we just moved into a new home a week ago.

 

Do you think this is still the hooks, even though we really dont know if he has them? Or does he just get a little acid reflux or something in the morning. Maybe its been the stress of moving?

 

I really dont know what else to do...I really hope its not the food, it doesnt seem like it is because he eats it fine any other time besides morning...I dont want to change it on him again. I have more panacur-but dont know if it will make a difference if I do one more treatment...I dont want to over do it :/

 

What makes your hounds get the morning grumblies/not eat breakfast?

Edited June 28, 2016 by Lygracilux

[krissy]

I don't know for sure, but I often find pieces of fat in my backyard. It's suet put out for the birds, and the damn birds drop it in my yard. Then the dogs find it. Summit never gets a rumbly belly, but Kili will sometimes. I wake up hearing it and she refuses breakfast. Then a few hours later she's fine. I often attribute it to the suet in the backyard, but there's not always a correlation of me seeing her get a piece and her waking up with a rumbly belly the next morning. Not sure if there's anything you can think of that he might be getting into that could be causing it.

[locket]

Worms for Jack

 

But also we had dogsit a hound twice and he got the gurgly tummies so loud I had to sleep in another bedroom. Also he wouldn't eat breakfast. He would usually eat later in the day. Maybe the move was a bit stressful? Are you giving a bedtime cookie?

[Guest Lygracilux]

Hmm he could be getting into something out in the yard...he has a dog door now so can go out whenever during the day. But I check the yard daily and I dont see anything out of the ordinary. Who knows though.

Now that I think about it though- this tummy thing seems to happen a day or two after we go to my in laws and Fusion plays with the dobermans in their yard-they have a huge overgrown yard they dont pay much mind to, so he could definitely be eating icky stuff there.

 

I just found out that the food we feed Fusion is no longer available on Chewy, and is no longer at the store that is close to our new house...the closest place to get it is an hour away. Maybe its time for a food change

[Remolacha]

If it is only in the morning, I'd try giving him a little something right before bedtime. He may just need something in his tummy overnight.

 

Bummer about the food!

[XTRAWLD]

If Ryder has anything out of the ordinary, it can throw him off, including table scraps.

 

If you really want to nail it down, be super will powered and stringent about what he's eating. Be honest, what else is he having during the day that's not "dog food" that you would be feeding him?

 

Similar to a food trial, after a week slowly introduce new things. So food only for one week, then add cookies for bedtime, then add other snacks in the day and see what a trigger is. You can narrow things down better if you have a control to start with. It's tough, very tough, but if you really want to resolve it, go slow and reduce your variables.

[Guest Lygracilux]

If Ryder has anything out of the ordinary, it can throw him off, including table scraps.

 

If you really want to nail it down, be super will powered and stringent about what he's eating. Be honest, what else is he having during the day that's not "dog food" that you would be feeding him?

 

Similar to a food trial, after a week slowly introduce new things. So food only for one week, then add cookies for bedtime, then add other snacks in the day and see what a trigger is. You can narrow things down better if you have a control to start with. It's tough, very tough, but if you really want to resolve it, go slow and reduce your variables.

 

 

Yeah this is a good idea. TBH Im not the best with table scraps-neither is DH. We let him have "lickies" all the time. We had a big cookout last Sunday at the in laws so him and the other dogs got lots of scraps...along with him getting into something in the yard; no wonder he doesnt feel good.

 

A trial is a very good idea! I will definitely do that for the next week or so- his dry food only. I am going to Maine next week with him for a few days, so after I get back from that I will see about changing his food over..I hate to do it but the fact I cant get it anywhere anymore blows

If it is only in the morning, I'd try giving him a little something right before bedtime. He may just need something in his tummy overnight.

 

Bummer about the food!

 

I usually give him a piece of bread or a 1/4 cup of food before bed. I didnt last night-so yeah maybe it really does help

[Hubcitypam]

For a long time Rex had sometimes bloody poop that was never solid. We wormed and fecaled him within an inch of his life and he had a standing script for flagyl. I tried what seemed like every premium food in the world to no avail.

 

The runs quit when I moved him to a grocery store food. His tummy would grumble do loud it'd wake me in the middle of the night. I found If I got a smidgen of something tasty down him to eat a little canned then his kibble. Problem was whyr got him started was different every day. I spent many a 4 a.m.on the futon armed with tuna, jack mackerel, sardines, dried liver, hot dogs and ore. Then his tummy would stop grumbling. Maybe try a little treat in morning and/or before bed and when the grumbles startt? In the morning it needs to be high value, but just a tad.

[Guest Lygracilux]

For a long time Rex had sometimes bloody poop that was never solid. We wormed and fecaled him within an inch of his life and he had a standing script for flagyl. I tried what seemed like every premium food in the world to no avail.

 

The runs quit when I moved him to a grocery store food. His tummy would grumble do loud it'd wake me in the middle of the night. I found If I got a smidgen of something tasty down him to eat a little canned then his kibble. Problem was whyr got him started was different every day. I spent many a 4 a.m.on the futon armed with tuna, jack mackerel, sardines, dried liver, hot dogs and ore. Then his tummy would stop grumbling. Maybe try a little treat in morning and/or before bed and when the grumbles startt? In the morning it needs to be high value, but just a tad.

 

 

Yeah finding the right food is key. It has been such a long and tiring process. We've tried everything from grocery store (IAMs green bag) to prescription diet. So far we now know he does well on a low fat, high fiber diet, with NO fish products whatsoever. He cannot do anything with any sort of fish/fish oil.

 

Hes been doing so well on this food, up until now..and even then his poops arent terrible, just a little softer than normal. He thankfully hasnt vommited or anything, just the morning grumbles

I really dont think its the food.. its in the middle of the bag, not a newly opened bag that could be a bad batch. He must just be getting into something.

Thats a good idea though to get him to eat in the morning-a high value treat to just settle him. I will cook some chicken breasts for him as treats in the am and pm.

 

 

 

 

Im actually relieved-I just found a pet shop right next to my work that sells the food hes on! Its on my way home, so not out of the way

For now I will just be very strict with his diet, give him a snack of kibble before bed and high value snack in the morning to get some food in his tummy, and just watch him.

If he doesnt improve I will contact the vet and go from there.

 

Thanks everyone

Edited June 28, 2016 by Lygracilux

[ramonaghan]

Glad you found a place for the food he's on! Does Amazon not sell it? That might be a backup plan for you. Their "subscribe and save" program is pretty handy.

[Guest Lygracilux]

Glad you found a place for the food he's on! Does Amazon not sell it? That might be a backup plan for you. Their "subscribe and save" program is pretty handy.

 

They do but its $60 for a 15lb bag lol. At the pet store its $30

[XTRAWLD]

It can be terribly frustrating and challenging, I know. But I'm a big proponent of giving something for bedtime to settle a stomach over night. If not for Ryder puking every early morning, I never would have thought 3 simple cookies before bed could do so much good.

 

I went through some incredible food trials with Kasey to try to alleviate his allergies. It was no picnic. If it was good for his skin, it wasn't good for his bowels, and vise versa sometimes. Went raw finally and never looked back.

 

Good luck and keep us posted.

[ramonaghan]

 

They do but its $60 for a 15lb bag lol. At the pet store its $30

 

OK, maybe not then.

[greysmom]

For our Lilly, a rumbly tummy was a precursor to being diagnosed with IBD (probable). She did have a bad case of hooks when we got her as a puppy that took us several months to clear. I've always thought that her digestive tract was somehow damaged or compromised following that, but in truth, she's always been a picky eater. It was a struggle every meal - will she eat, will she not, will she eat chicken/kibble/cheese/whatever - she was always nauseous and never wanted any foods or treats. After a couple years, when her poops were consistently bad even after worming, we began to think about other causes.

 

We (our vet and I) tried and discussed a lot of treatments, and sent her files to be reviewed by a gastro specialist. The specialist suggested Lilly might have IBD though we'd have to do a biopsy surgery to find out for sure. She also suggested a food trial and through that we discovered Lilly had developed an intolerance to chicken. She can't have *any* chicken at all - no chicken meal, chicken by-products, chicken flavoring, even chicken fat-based tocopherols. None at all. Then, before going to see the specialist, we decided to try a course of acupuncture and chinese holistic treatment because I didn't want to have her on steroids for the rest of her life.

 

I saw a difference in her eating and interest in food after two acupuncture treatments. Her car sickness vanished. No more tummy gurgles. Her poop began to firm up and look normal. By the end of the fifth treatment the difference was enormous. The holistic vet had given us a home-cooked diet which she was eating, though I had to hand feed her. Lilly had 6 acupuncture treatments total, and then began a course of chinese herbal supplements, which she's been on now about 18 months.

 

Lilly is showing interest in food and is eating a commercial canned food diet (though I do still have to hand feed her ). Her poops are excellent. And best of all, she hasn't had any tummy rumblings at all for a very long time. I can tell she isn't nauseous anymore, and she loves her car rides.

 

She eats Weruva turkey and pork canned food, and one 5 oz can of tuna per day. No kibble. We do add sweet potato to her food to balance it and add vitamins. She also has non-chicken-containing treats and chews.

[TXRedbo]

It could be the yard. Redbo tested positive for worms (hook and something else I can't remember) right after we moved into the house and I think it's because he had free range of the yard. Unfortunately, because our house had been vacant for awhile, the yard became a haven for stray cats, dogs, and random other vermin. There were also mites, so poor Redbo would roll around in the grass and then have bites and red marks all over. We ended up spraying the yard with Triazicide Insect Killer for the mites and sprayed bleach wherever he would potty.

[Guest Lygracilux]

It could be the yard. Redbo tested positive for worms (hook and something else I can't remember) right after we moved into the house and I think it's because he had free range of the yard. Unfortunately, because our house had been vacant for awhile, the yard became a haven for stray cats, dogs, and random other vermin. There were also mites, so poor Redbo would roll around in the grass and then have bites and red marks all over. We ended up spraying the yard with Triazicide Insect Killer for the mites and sprayed bleach wherever he would potty.

 

 

Ugh I hope this isnt the case. Thankfully the house was still being lived in right up until we moved in. It was also professorially landscaped-but who knows what went back there before we put the fence up.

 

 

 

 

 

He slept all day yesterday, didnt go out once. When we got home he went out and had some pretty nasty poop. Not a lot of it, but mucousy/very runny. After he pooped he was all happy running around like his normal self. He ate supper like a champ, a bed time snack, and no tummy gurgles this morning and ate all of his breakfast immediately without turning his nose up. He didnt poop this morning before I left for work, but if he does go out I will check the yard to see what it looked like.

 

Im hoping he just ate something not-so-good in the yard or at the inlaws. Im going to definitely keep an eye on him though and if things dont improve by tomorrow I will call the vet.