Hookworm!

[cgs]

Thanks. I see that has the dried beet pulp as well. We're using Kirkland chicken (not naturals--the regular adult food) and it has dried beet pulp, but we're still having poop issues. The Kirkland doesn't have corn and the Eukanuba does. I had tried IAMS, which also has corn and Percy wouldn't touch it. I'm sure I could get him on it if it was his only choice, but he likes the Kirkland and I don't know that some other food will help. *sigh* The poop varies from day to day and he basically only eats his food and occasional treats, so I don't know why it varies so much. But more often than not, it's mushy and lately has been pretty bad again. At least the timing is pretty predictable now.

[cgs]

The poop varies from day to day and he basically only eats his food and occasional treats, so I don't know why it varies so much. But more often than not, it's mushy and lately has been pretty bad again. At least the timing is pretty predictable now.

So after I posted this, I took him for a walk and he had one of the best poops I've seen--solid and dry. I was very excited. Then he had a second poop on the walk (which he does sometimes if he hasn't gone in the yard in the morning) and it was pretty much completely liquid. Ugh. And his usual poop spots are in common areas near trash cans, but since he'd already pooped, I went a different way and he pooped on someone's lawn, which I try to avoid when it's so nasty. Ugh. At least it was on the part of the lawn between the sidewalk and road. I don't let him on the main part of lawns.

[LaFlaca]

So after I posted this, I took him for a walk and he had one of the best poops I've seen--solid and dry. I was very excited. Then he had a second poop on the walk (which he does sometimes if he hasn't gone in the yard in the morning) and it was pretty much completely liquid. Ugh. And his usual poop spots are in common areas near trash cans, but since he'd already pooped, I went a different way and he pooped on someone's lawn, which I try to avoid when it's so nasty. Ugh. At least it was on the part of the lawn between the sidewalk and road. I don't let him on the main part of lawns.

 

For what it's worth, Lola had the soft-serve poop problem until i switched from Wellness CORE to Merrick brand kibble. Now, if only the #$%& hooks would just DIE!

[cgs]

But it varies--that's what's confusing. It's pretty good sometimes. I do know that it's usually better first thing in the morning, and that a second poop soon after a first is going to be pretty soft. But sometimes the afternoon one is really good, sometimes it's awful. Is it food or worms? Things were worse on lamb food--consistently drippy--and better on chicken--sometimes pretty good, but lately it's been really bad at times. It makes me wonder if the worms are getting worse.

[GreytXpctations]

But it varies--that's what's confusing. It's pretty good sometimes. I do know that it's usually better first thing in the morning, and that a second poop soon after a first is going to be pretty soft. But sometimes the afternoon one is really good, sometimes it's awful. Is it food or worms? Things were worse on lamb food--consistently drippy--and better on chicken--sometimes pretty good, but lately it's been really bad at times. It makes me wonder if the worms are getting worse.

You might try a small bag of food as a test and mix it in at 1/3 to see if things improve or not. I know you said that Percy didn't like the Iams, but maybe the Eukauba would work for him. At 1/3 new food, it should be weak enough not to upset his digestion too much, but strong enough to tell if he turns his nose up at, and also enough to show some type of improvement if there would be any.

[cgs]

Unfortunately these large breed dog foods often don't come in small bags. I have a 15 lb bag of unused Iams. The smallest size if Eukanuba is 16lbs. And the kinds of dog food are endless. I felt Iams was with a try because if the beet pulp. And Kirkland has beet pulp too. So I'm not sure a different food with beet pulp would be any better. And while some dogs are fine with corn, if Percy is turning his nose up at Iams, could it be the corn? Is corn ever really a good thing or is it just fine for some dogs, as in not doing any harm.

If i do decide to try Eukanuba, how long should it take to see a difference. I guess for PaddysDad it was right away, but did he transition to new food or just go all at once. This is so hard!

 

It's ridiculous how excited I get by a good solid poop.

Edited May 22, 2018 by cgs

[GreytXpctations]

Good point. In my mind I was just thinking of a small bag, which apparently they don't make for the large breed food.

 

For me the crisis was the food. It was what was causing the soft stool. I know what you mean by getting excited over firm poop.

 

I switched one dog over in one day his poops were so bad, and the other over a couple days. With the other one, he has issues with proteins and alkalinity and a sensitivity to corn, so I can't give him Iams. I had trouble finding a food that work for him, let alone all three, but the Diamond did that until they changed the formula. Even with the beet pulp and chicory root, it didn't help things after they changed the recipe.

 

Eukanuba chicken comes in a small bag. It isn't exactly the same as the large breed chicken (higher in protein), but might be an ok test to see the effect, and then be close enough for an easy transition to the large breed formula if it helps.

[cgs]

Yeah maybe I'll try that--the small bag idea. The ingredients in the Kirkland just look so much better that I hate to switch. Plus kirkland is so much cheaper. Hmmm, lots to think about.

[GreytXpctations]

Yeah maybe I'll try that--the small bag idea. The ingredients in the Kirkland just look so much better that I hate to switch. Plus kirkland is so much cheaper. Hmmm, lots to think about.

 

I know what you mean. I felt the same way about the Diamond branded food. It's such a crap shoot (sorry) trying to find a food that works and meets all the needs. Carlos has specific restrictions, so finding a food for him is tricky. I would have been happy staying with the pre-December Diamond Naturals.

[cgs]

I think it's probably worth it for me to try the IAMS again since I already have it and it's similar to the Eukanuba and cheaper. Maybe I'll try adding a little to his food and see if he tries to eat around it. What did you switch your dogs to--was it eukanuba or something else?

I've also been using diatomaceous earth, but unfortunately no immediate results like some here had. It's been 3 weeks and no noticeable change. Every now and then when he has a good day or two in a row, I think it's working, but then his poop gets mushy again.

[NewGrey2017]

I have tried boiled chicken and rice.

I have tried Kirkland Chicken, Rice and Veg (purple bag).

I have tried some super expensive rabbit and something blah blah. This turned my dog into a diarrhea fountain. Discontinued ASAP.

I have tried Pro Plan Salmon and Rice.

I have tried IAMS green bag.

I have tried adding Olewo carrots.

I have stopped adding Olewo carrots.

I am back to adding Olewo carrots.

I have given him 3 rounds of metronidazole.

The vet wants me to get this https://www.chewy.com/royal-canin-veterinary-diet/dp/35621

 

Through it all, the last poop of the day is always runny. If we get 1 good poop, I'm happy.

I am convinced the dogs that have had these resistant hookworms have had some damage done to their GI tract.

[GreytXpctations]

I think it's probably worth it for me to try the IAMS again since I already have it and it's similar to the Eukanuba and cheaper. Maybe I'll try adding a little to his food and see if he tries to eat around it. What did you switch your dogs to--was it eukanuba or something else?

I've also been using diatomaceous earth, but unfortunately no immediate results like some here had. It's been 3 weeks and no noticeable change. Every now and then when he has a good day or two in a row, I think it's working, but then his poop gets mushy again.

I have two dogs on Iams green bag and they firmed right up again. I was planning to grab Eukanuba, but they didn't have it and Iams was the closest thing to it they had. Both of them seem to be the gold standard for firm poop for most people.

[LaFlaca]

LOLA FINALLY TESTED HOOKWORM NEGATIVE TODAY FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MONTHS!!!!!

We'll retest next month when she goes for her rabies vaccination.

[cgs]

Yay!

[PaddysDad]

LOLA FINALLY TESTED HOOKWORM NEGATIVE TODAY FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MONTHS!!!!!

We'll retest next month when she goes for her rabies vaccination.

Fantastic!

 

I am happy for you as well as the rest of us who you just gave more hope to

[PaddysDad]

If i do decide to try Eukanuba, how long should it take to see a difference. I guess for PaddysDad it was right away, but did he transition to new food or just go all at once. This is so hard!

I went to a 50-50 mix for two and a half days and to 100% Eukanuba on the 3rd day.

 

Paddy was almost liquid on the Diamond by the time I made the switch so I wasn't too concerned about transitioning too fast. He improved within 24 hours of starting the switch. Life is so much better here now I was at the point that I had to dig up the ground under every poop to make sure that I got it all. Now they bounce when he drops them.

 

We quit giving treats as well, so we can tell if it is medicine, hooks or whatever if he has issues, but so far everything is good, and we just finished another round of Advantage Multi/Panacur last week with no issues at all.

 

He was on Eukanuba Large Breed before, so I knew he liked it and it worked. He has had trouble with a lot of foods loosening him up. When I got him from the rescue he was in pretty rough shape and I had him on a special diet at first until he put his weight back on and his fur grew back in and got shiny. Everything back then gave him soft stool until I put him on the Eukanuba.

[cgs]

Wish I could find the magic bullet. I added some Iams to his food tinight--just a little--and he ate around it and then sucked on a kibble and spit it out and then finally ate them. I'll give him more tomorrow and we'll see. It would be hard for my husband to stop giving treats because our other dog loves them. And the neighbor gives him treats too. It would seriously break her heart if she couldn't. She buys different treat for all the neighborhood dogs depending on what they like. But I'll have to start tracking when he gets a treat from her and how his poop looks afterwards.

[greytluck]

Wish I could find the magic bullet. I added some Iams to his food tinight--just a little--and he ate around it and then sucked on a kibble and spit it out and then finally ate them. I'll give him more tomorrow and we'll see. It would be hard for my husband to stop giving treats because our other dog loves them. And the neighbor gives him treats too. It would seriously break her heart if she couldn't. She buys different treat for all the neighborhood dogs depending on what they like. But I'll have to start tracking when he gets a treat from her and how his poop looks afterwards.

Have you considered feeding raw? My greyhound came with hookworm which caused vomiting and bloody diarrhea. We switched her over to raw and honestly the next day thing improved drastically. She hasn't vomited since and her poop is firm and finally with no blood. She is also on advantage multi + Dolpac. We will be doing a fecal soon as she's now been on the protocol for 3 months. I'm crossing my fingers for a negative test.

[NewGrey2017]

LOLA FINALLY TESTED HOOKWORM NEGATIVE TODAY FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MONTHS!!!!!

We'll retest next month when she goes for her rabies vaccination.

 

Great news. Hope this is a permanent vacation from hookworms.

[GreytXpctations]

LOLA FINALLY TESTED HOOKWORM NEGATIVE TODAY FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MONTHS!!!!!

We'll retest next month when she goes for her rabies vaccination.

Great news!!

[cgs]

Have you considered feeding raw? My greyhound came with hookworm which caused vomiting and bloody diarrhea. We switched her over to raw and honestly the next day thing improved drastically. She hasn't vomited since and her poop is firm and finally with no blood. She is also on advantage multi + Dolpac. We will be doing a fecal soon as she's now been on the protocol for 3 months. I'm crossing my fingers for a negative test.

 

Nah. My philosophy of life is to try the easiest (and cheapest) things first. I don't think I'd ever do raw. He doesn't have diahrrhea or bloody stools or vomiting. So it's not that bad.

Edited May 23, 2018 by cgs

[GreytXpctations]

Wish I could find the magic bullet. I added some Iams to his food tinight--just a little--and he ate around it and then sucked on a kibble and spit it out and then finally ate them. I'll give him more tomorrow and we'll see. It would be hard for my husband to stop giving treats because our other dog loves them. And the neighbor gives him treats too. It would seriously break her heart if she couldn't. She buys different treat for all the neighborhood dogs depending on what they like. But I'll have to start tracking when he gets a treat from her and how his poop looks afterwards.

I can't feed Carlos Iams. He has special requirements and is on this https://www.chewy.com/canidae-all-life-stages-less-active/dp/32226 and having good luck with it but it is pricey (less pricey than an Rx diet).

 

I also agree about the treats. It might be good to use kibble as treats so you can isolate the cause of the problem.

[cgs]

After 1/2 IAMS and half old food (Kirkland) this morning and messy morning poop, his stomach is gurgling mid-afternoon. When I switched him back to back to Kirkland chicken from Kirkland lamb, I didn't hear gurgling--not that I recall anyway. Now it's gurgling again on the IAMS. I'll give it a few days, but will probably end up back on Kirkland chicken.

[LaFlaca]

After 1/2 IAMS and half old food (Kirkland) this morning and messy morning poop, his stomach is gurgling mid-afternoon. When I switched him back to back to Kirkland chicken from Kirkland lamb, I didn't hear gurgling--not that I recall anyway. Now it's gurgling again on the IAMS. I'll give it a few days, but will probably end up back on Kirkland chicken.

 

Gurgling/squeaky bowels (gastritis) can be caused by hookworms. The first time I heard those sounds I thought that a kitten or other small critter had gotten in the house. Turns out it was Lola's hookworm filled tummy.

[cgs]

Great.

 

Sometimes I wonder if the Advantage Multi is stopping the larval leak, but not actually killing the adult worms, even though it's supposed to. I wonder if another couple rounds of panacur or drontal would help. At the same time, I don't want to keep pouring medicine into him if the worms are going to stick around because of the larval leak, so I want to get that sorted out first and I guess that can take a while.