Frequent Stomach Upset

[Guest kimmi592]

Hello,

 

I have had my greyhound for a year now. For the first 6-7 months he was having diarrhea and stomach upset almost every month and constant excessive gas. I changed his food to a prescription purina one - gastroenteric formula and I also add a probiotic. He's been on that food for about a month. It's helped with the excessive gas and his stools are much firmer. HOWEVER, he is still having a gurgling stomach every few weeks and HAS to go outside and eat grass. Every time we stay the night at my boyfriend's house (where we are frequently, so he should be used to it by now) he will wake me up in the night to go outside to eat grass or will pace up and down the hallway. My boyfriend gets understandably mad because he wakes him up to and it's very annoying. When we are at home he never does that unless he has diarrhea and needs to go outside, but he's doing it when we stay the night elsewhere even if he doesn't have to use the bathroom. I'm wondering if anyone else has similar stomach issues with their greyhound and if they found out what the problem was. He doesn't have worms. He used to have them and was treated and has had two negative tests since then. I don't know what else to do so I came on here.

[KF_in_Georgia]

Feed him something at bedtime. Maybe he's getting dinner earlier on the nights he doesn't sleep at home? At any rate, it sounds like empty stomach troubles. Try half a cup of his kibble or a couple of whatever treats he's used to and see if that helps.

[Roo]

Feed him something at bedtime. Maybe he's getting dinner earlier on the nights he doesn't sleep at home? At any rate, it sounds like empty stomach troubles. Try half a cup of his kibble or a couple of whatever treats he's used to and see if that helps.

Definitely this (a lot of greys have problems with empty tummies), but it's also possible he's just nervous being elsewhere and the nerves upset his stomach. There are different smells and sounds, maybe there's an animal wandering nearby that you don't have at your house, and even though you're there frequently, it could still be upsetting to him. Have you tried melatonin or l-theanine for him when you stay at your boyfriend's place? Might take the edge off and allow you all to get some sleep!

[greysmom]

Along with the melatonin/l-theanine, you might consider adding DAP diffusers at your boyfriend's house (or get him a DAP collar for staying there). Anxiety can definitely cause loose stools and diarrhea (stress colitis), and your dog just might not be comfortable sleeping somewhere else.

 

What has your vet said about your dog's issues?

[Guest kimmi592]

.

Along with the melatonin/l-theanine, you might consider adding DAP diffusers at your boyfriend's house (or get him a DAP collar for staying there). Anxiety can definitely cause loose stools and diarrhea (stress colitis), and your dog just might not be comfortable sleeping somewhere else.

 

What has your vet said about your dog's issues?

 

well my boyfriend does also have a dog, but weve been going over there every weekend for almost a year now. They just basically ignore each other. He has the stomach problems at home too, so thats why Im having trouble pin-pointing what it could be. I will try feeding before bed, if hell eat. And I was going to look into some kind of relaxation aid. But Im wondering if its something more because it also happens at home, just not as often.

The vet said we would have to try different things one at a time. So I guess the food isnt fixing the entire problem. Just the stool problem.

Edited July 29, 2018 by kimmi592

[JohnF]

The cyclical nature of it could be down to a parasite like Giardia so you'd need to get your vet onto that.

 

As the others have said, feeding a little of his regular food before bed could help, but they can and do get nervous colitis

 

You could as try giving just 1 (one) 75mg tablet of Ranitidine or Zantac early evening. Give it in a piece of meat as it doesn't taste nice. (Have a second piece of meat standing by which your dog can see or smell to ensure the first gets swallowed)