Poo

[cgs]

 

 

Pet insurance, look into Healthy Paws.

 

I am, but also trying to get info on Pets Best, which has a high deductible plan that's way cheaper. I'd prefer something like that, just for catastrophic stuff, rather than paying $600/year with Healthy Paws. I could get one at Pets Best for $200 and could also get a wellness plan added on that would save about $150/year on services I'd definitely use. My vet's wellness plan might save me a little money, but it's hard to tell because it covers things I wouldn't use, like rabies shot (not needed this year), and exams for accident/illness, which may or may not be needed.

 

Anyway, I posted on the pet insurance thread, so I don't want to get too much off topic here.

[cgs]

So, he has hookworms. Any chance that once that's cleared up, he'll poop less? And is my other dog going to get them now?

[NewGrey2017]

So, he has hookworms. Any chance that once that's cleared up, he'll poop less? And is my other dog going to get them now?

 

Mine has received one clean fecal report but that took 4 months. My dog came from WVA. All the dogs adopted had worms. I'm taking another fecal sample in about 2-3 days. Gave him the worm treatment last weekend. If that is also negative I'm considering us past the worm issue for now and will probably get him checked quarterly for the next year. My dog's stools have not improved since getting the first "no hook worm" present. Earlier we discussed metronidazole which has been the only thing that has really worked. He is currently eating ProPlan Sensitive Stomach Salmon and Olewo Carrots.

 

Vet should tell you the level of hookworks, ie 1+, 2+, etc up to 4+. Mine was 3+ the whole time then dropped to zero. So, we are going to reconfirm next week.

 

Check my Poop is a Four Letter Word thread for details, but what finally (and only) worked for my boy was Advantage Multi followed within 24 hours by Drontal. I got these from the Drs Foster and Smith website because is was much cheaper than my vet. We had to break the Drontal into small doses given the day after the Advantage Multi or he would up chuck it. Panacur didn't work at all, so I'd ask them not to give you that.

 

You are not alone, there is a ton of good info on this website.

 

Good luck.

[GreyTzu]

Hooks are a PITA to get rid of and often poop sample will be a false negative.

 

Repeated and often worming is necessary.

 

In my home, I would worm 2 to 3 times a week for 3 or 4 weeks.

[NewGrey2017]

I'll repost the email my vet received from the Greyhound program at Ohio State. Might help.

 

We have had success using monthly topical Advantage Multi, followed by within 24 hrs an appropriate dose of Drontal Plus. Not sure why it works. We used 6 greyhounds, one with >1 yr history of hooks. In several dogs it took up to 3 months for them to go negative whereas others went negative (no ova detected) sooner. At least twice over the 9 month trial, a two owners did not follow the 30 day/monthly dosing and their dogs went positive again. We hope to get this work published as we have just finished the clinical trial. The dogs will remain on the Advantage Multi without the Drontal Plus to see if we can keep them negative.

[cgs]

Thanks!

[cgs]

Turns out he has Giardia also. Vet initially was just going to treat with Panacur, but I mentioned what I've been reading on here. She said she would still use Panacur for the Giardia, but is also prescribing Drontal at my request. I'll get some Advantage Multi also--don't need prescription. Will the Panacur do anything to interfere with the other meds?

[cgs]

Can anyone explain or point me to information about the 3+, 2+ etc "score." The vet said his level is 10-30. I asked about what I read here about 3+ type numbers and she didn't know how it correlates. I'm trying to google, but I'm not finding anything.

[cgs]

Ignore my question above. I reposted it in the hookworm thread.

 

I started giving Percy IAMS last night. 1/2 cup mixed in with 2 cups of his other food. He didn't seem to like it--wouldn't eat a kibble from my hand and seemed to be trying to eat around it in his bowl, but ate some. This morning he was hyper. Had pretty typical poop for him. Then he didn't poop for a long time, which I thought was good and his next poop would be firm since they're firm as long as he doesn't go too often. But he went in the afternoon and it was really runny--worse than when they're just loose.

 

I decided not to give him anymore until after we deal with the worms, because I don't want to have too many variables going on if he reacts to the meds. But I'm thinking maybe the corn in the IAMS isn't good for him. I might have to try the sensitive stomach variety which is grain free. But that's not any cheaper than Taste of the Wild. I'll probably try the regular IAMS one more time after worms are gone to see how he does.

[schnookums]

Oh dear!!! Perhaps Percy could do with a few days feeds of boiled chicken and white rice. Bland is good. Give him time. New food should be introduced SLOWLY. I guess we are lucky hookworms are uncommon here. All the best and good luck with your boy. XX

[cgs]

I've been adding oatmeal to his kibble for the past couple meals and plan to continue that. I could try boiled chicken, but isn't that just changing his food again? Oatmeal is changing his food again too. I'm trying not to do too much. I was introducing the IAMS slowly. But after two meals, decided not to mess with that right now.

[GreytXpctations]

Turns out he has Giardia also. Vet initially was just going to treat with Panacur, but I mentioned what I've been reading on here. She said she would still use Panacur for the Giardia, but is also prescribing Drontal at my request. I'll get some Advantage Multi also--don't need prescription. Will the Panacur do anything to interfere with the other meds?

 

We were having great results with initial treatment of fenbendazole (panacur, 8in1, other names) and keeping the dogs on Heartguard Plus monthly. For years, we needed no additional followup if treated about 2 weeks before the HG+. The last time we had to deal with hookworms, we used fenbendazole and then followed up with Drontal (praziquantel/pyrantel pamoate), since the regular routine that had worked for years no longer worked. Still using HG+ monthly for heartworm and still believe that it helps to keep hooks et al from fully developing. I suspect that the hooks may be developing a resistance to fenbendazole.

[cgs]

Good to know--that's basically what I'm going to do.

 

I feel like I'm making some progress on the poo issue. The carrots helped firm it up a bit, but it would still be really bad if he went too often. Yesterday, only 3 poops all day! Morning, 10am walk, and 6pm or so. Today so far morning, 10am walk. We'll see how the rest of the day goes. He'd usually do a poop or a little squirt before bed, but didn't do that last night. I'm thinking the oatmeal I've been giving him is helping with not going so much? And/or the yogurt. He's getting oatmeal with his kibble (and eating that more than the kibble), and yogurt with his panacur before dinner.

 

My bag of Taste of the Wild is starting to run low, and while I don't want to make too many changes, I'm really thinking of switching to Kirkland. It's cheaper, has the beet pulp everyone says helps (at least some varieties), but is still grain free. I don't think Percy did well with the 2 meals where I gave him just 1/2 cup IAMS and he didn't even eat it all. Hard to tell since there was so much going on. Kirkland is a pain because it's expensive to get delivered and going to Costco is a pain and lifting a 40lb bag is a pain, but so much cheaper.

 

Kirkland's lamb variety is lower protein than the others (23% vs 26%), but all are much lower than the ToTW, which is 35% or so. ToTW has a lamb variety that has protein around 25%, but I'd rather go with the cheaper Kirkland. So I'm just thinking about all that. I don't want to get another bag big of ToTW Wetlands (which is what he's on now) if I want to switch him, though my little dog would eat it. Decisions.... I'd probably advise someone else not to change diet right now, but I'm impatient. I'll wait a bit longer, but will need to get the next bag of food in a couple weeks.

[GreytXpctations]

I think the lower protein is better for greys, according to vet advice i have gotten, so I try to stay below 25. I just switched back to Diamond Naturals for the first time since the 2012 recalls, since they have a lower protein food, no corn, and have beet pulp and chicory for extra fiber (and no production problems the since 2012 salmonella recalls). All the dogs love it and are doing well on it. No additional additives to their diet are necessary for them. It is the first time in years that I have had all my dogs on the same food. It is very affordable too, for a 40 lb bag, and qualifies for free shipping from a number of online sites. Nutro, Eukanuba and Iams are all owned by Mars now and I have had some bad experience with each since they were acquired. I can't use Euk or Iams on one of the dogs anyway, due to a corn sensitivity. TOTW is owned by Diamond.

Edited March 15, 2018 by GreytXpctations

[cgs]

Just looked at Diamond Naturals and it looks almost identical to Kirkland. Where do you get it shipped for free? I see it on Chewy, but it's not enough for free shipping. Not seeing it on Amazon.

 

Also, are there any stores that sell it? Always nice to be able to get it somewhere in a pinch if needed. The only place I've seen ToTW is Tractor Supply. I'm not seeing Diamond Naturals listed on any store websites--petco, petsmart, Target, etc.

Edited March 15, 2018 by cgs

[NewGrey2017]

Just looked at Diamond Naturals and it looks almost identical to Kirkland. Where do you get it shipped for free? I see it on Chewy, but it's not enough for free shipping. Not seeing it on Amazon.

 

Kirkland pet food is manufactured by Diamond Pet Foods, which makes Diamond Naturals.

[cgs]

Well that makes sense! The ingredients looked very similar! Now it's really just a matter of figuring out which is cheaper and/or easier to get.

[GreytXpctations]

Wow. I just ordered a bag last week and went to get the link and all of a sudden it is available for Prime Members only.

 

I wonder if Amazon's live gaming practices are now including pushing former Prime members back into the fold. I can also buy it locally at a non-chain pet food store.

 

My last three bags have been free shipping from Amazon. Before that, I had free ship from Chewy, but had ordered two bags.

[cgs]

I have Amazon Prime, but only saw the lamb flavor or small breed or puppy. He's on a ToTW duck/chicken/some other fowl flavor now, so figured I'd stick with chicken. I'll probably just head back to Costco. I was just there yesterday.

[GreytXpctations]

Just found it on Chewy.com, but the shipping was free last time because I ordered 2 bags and met the minimum of $49 (probably why I ordered 2 last time). Set up autoship and got a 5% discount, plus a 20% discount for first autoship order. So I will get two bags every 6 weeks instead of 1 bag every 3 weeks, and get free 2 day shipping, and save 5% from what I was paying on Amazon.

 

They also have it on Jet, which has free shipping over $35, and free ship to store for Ace hardware at $6/bag higher price, but still cheaper than the pet food store.

 

Well even if you don't use it, at least I won't be scrambling now like I would have if I went to reorder from Amazon and it wasn't available to me

Edited March 16, 2018 by GreytXpctations

[cgs]

I just got a 40lb bag of Kirkland chicken and rice food for $29 at Costco. If Percy does well with it, I think I can handle a trip to Costco over 4-6 weeks. I'm not sure how long a 40 lb bag would last. The 30-lb Taste of the Wild is getting low, but probably still has a lot more servings in it and I've been using that for 3 weeks. So at least a month for a 30-lb bag I guess. Fingers crossed for Percy liking it and it helping with the poop.

 

Now to figure out what to do with the 15-lb bag if IAMS that he didn't like and didn't seem good for him....Anyone in Maryland (MoCo) want it?

[PaddysDad]

That's a really good price if it is the same as the diamond naturals chicken and rice. We are on the lamb and rice, but also just got hosed by amazon since we don't have prime. pet food Warehouse carries it and they are just around the corner, but they are pretty expensive. I might check out Chewy too.

[cgs]

You can check the ingredients online. I didn't compare ingredient by ingredient, but they seemed pretty similar. If you have a Costco and a Costco membership, definitely worth it to go get the Kirkland brand there.

 

Percy seems to like it. I've only given him a little bit, but he ate it out of my hand, which he didn't do with the IAMS. He ate around the IAMS kibble, but ate the Kirkland that as mixed with his food. In fact this morning, he's only been nibbling on breakfast, but instead of eating the oatmeal and leaving the kibble, he ate the kibble and left the oatmeal. It was 1/4 cup ToTW with really just a sprinkling of Kirkland.

[cgs]

I'm slowly switching him to Kirkland, but now he's pretty much rejecting the olewo carrots. That's fine if the Kirkland works to firm up his poop, but we'll see. I've been giving him the carrots mixed with a dollop of yogurt in the morning before breakfast and he'll eat that, but if I mix the carrots with his food, he'll pick around it. He's been pooping 3-4 times/day. Still a mix of firm, soft, and runny, though usually not too bad. I would just feel better taking him places if it was easy to pick up. Next weekend my daughter has a horse show and we'll probably be bringing Percy since we'll be out most of the day. Poop that's hard to get up won't be fun.

[GreytXpctations]

I'm more of a fan of finding the right food than I am of adding different stuff to make a food work. I understand that not everyone has this option, due to specific issues with their hounds, but for us, I will work until I find the right food that works. At one point, we were on three different foods, but finally found one low enough in protein for the old boy, and high enough in fiber for the young boy. The new girl, like the old girl can eat just about everything.

 

If eyes are the window to the soul, then poo seems to be the window to their health.

 

On another note, Chewy is an Amazon company, yet has become a cheaper solution to my Amazon problem. I come out ahead, and Amazon still benefits from losing my sale. The pet food store still loses, unless there are shipping delays.

 

Stay in touch with how the Kirkland works for you. Does it have both the beet pulp and the chicory like the Diamond naturals?