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Post by rikker on May 29, 2007 12:22:38 GMT -5
I found this great pdf site www.rescuedgreyhounds.com/ownerservices/vet_guide.pdfBut the question I have is Rikker still has loose stools and getting worse -- we have changed foods twice -- now on high grade lamb and rice. He has been treated for three types of worms and a protozoa. Has anyone had this problem or have fixed this problem? My vet is presently doing research to find out the next best step.
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Post by jiffer on May 29, 2007 13:27:39 GMT -5
Just a few questions about the foods:
What foods have you tried? Have you varied the meat in them?
Beware of filler ingredients (corn, barley, wheat, rice). Sometimes an allergy to grain can cause loose poos.
Keep in mind as well that more expensive doesn't mean better. We tried very expensive foods (Eagle Pack Holistic $65/35lb bag) with worse results than the very cheap foods (Kirkland Lamb Meal and Rice $22/40lb bag).
I have had loose stool problems and we have worked through them. For us, it took multiple food changes and trying every type of meat and grain. Even the Fish and Potato formulas didn't work for us.
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Post by rikker on May 29, 2007 18:03:26 GMT -5
We started with vegetarian first then went to duck and now we are on lamb and rice (buffalo).
We made sure there was 0 corn. also made sure first 3 ingredients were not fillers.
Just can't seem to get the diarrhea under control. We will work this lamb and rice to the end. hopefully rikkers digestion will firm up.
What food are you using now?
I was so sad to hear about remy -- we had just a passing too. I know the feeling of that missing soul. Remy is running free
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genia
Grey Lover
Posts: 672
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Post by genia on May 29, 2007 20:13:40 GMT -5
I've tried just plain boiled rice and hamburger when my dogs have had diarrhea and it worked, but I guess it depends on what is causing the diarrhea.
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Post by GreyPoopon on May 29, 2007 22:21:36 GMT -5
I understand that some worms/parasites can be sneaky and persistent, so it's possible that that is still an issue. I mentioned in my PM that we found Edie's salmonella with a fecal culture--if it hasn't been done, it probably should be. As for food, there are at least three strategies. One is to pick another kibble; perhaps one with very limited and novel ingredients (especially the protein). Wellness, for example, makes a venison+rice and a duck+rice. Natural Balance has some potato-based limited diets. A second is to pick a food type, and feed it. For example, boiled hamburger. The third is to do the SPOT test, which is a blood test for allergies. It isn't cheap, and vets have varying opinions on its efficacy, but I've found the results helpful. Whatever you try, once you pick a food feed only that food. No add-ins. No treats. Nothing except the kibble/food. You can easily undermine your test and confuse the issue by feeding something else, no matter how small and innocuous it might seem. As well, you have to give your choice some time to work. It can take a while for an upset digestive tract to calm down. I can't tell you how long--with Minnie, who has IBD, it has taken weeks and weeks--but in my experience, there should be some positive impact (however slight) within the first week. Even once you have the right food, you might need to add a bit of fibre. Edie is now getting about a teaspn of beet pulp with each meal, which seems to help a bit. (Aside: We now suspect that Edie has enough intestinal damage from salmonella or exposure to food allergens that she will never have really firm poop. Since she seems perfectly healthy, I'm not prepared to subject her to more diagnostics (scoping) or treatment (prednisone). Watching her diet and adding the beet pulp makes it possible to pick up most of her poops (if I'm very careful); the rest I just sort of scrape up.) I hope you're able to find a solution. Edited because the board doesn't like the full version of the word spn.
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Post by tara on May 30, 2007 6:45:56 GMT -5
We have issues with allergies here (wheat and chicken). We feed Natural Balance sweet potato and fish (very limited ingredients only 1 protein and 1 carb) and have not had an issue since with the Big D (our greys cleared up in about 24 hrs, the Lab had acid reflux, was on medication, and it helped with that as well). I hope you figure out what it is and rikker gets back "right as rain" soon. The worst problems are those that you can't seem to find a solution for (or the cause for that matter). I wish you all the best, Tara
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on May 30, 2007 7:40:25 GMT -5
Can someone please explain the symptoms of acid reflux to me here? I suspect Honey has heartburn a lot and I want to see if the other puppers act the same way. Thanks
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Post by jiffer on May 30, 2007 8:16:17 GMT -5
We feed Technical Lamb Meal and Rice... bonus is that it's Canadian made. It and Sensible Choice lamb meal and rice were about the only foods Icarus and Atlas could eat.
Thank you, too. I feel bad that I never got to meet Remy. It's bad enough I'm still disbelieving Icarus' passing.
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Post by GreyPoopon on May 30, 2007 8:36:42 GMT -5
All of my girls are currently eating Go Natural Salmon and Oatmeal.
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guppy
Junior Grey Lover
Max MOo
Posts: 177
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Post by guppy on May 30, 2007 16:21:24 GMT -5
I have a rescue (not a Greyhound) who I adopted 4 years ago with severe diarrhea. He had been treated for both Giardia and Coccidia (parasites). It took about 2 weeks to settle his tummy down after he had diarrhea for weeks in the shelter. Have you tried acidophilus? It replaces good intestinal bacteria that is killed along with the bad when they treat for parasites. You buy it in the refrigerated section at human health food stores. The other thing I have used is Prozyme, available at Global/Ryan's. It's a digestive enzyme which helps settle my doggie's tummy when it's upset. Also pureed pumpkin (without sugars, etc...) is supposed to be good for firming up dog stool. I would also try mixing cooked rice with their meal.
Hope you find something that works.
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Post by rikker on May 30, 2007 17:44:25 GMT -5
OK thank you all for the replies -- I think we will change to salmon -- and I think we should check for salmonella -- I also think we will try the pumpkin again
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Post by samrob on May 31, 2007 7:09:37 GMT -5
Remember to give things time to work. With Hotwire and his colitis, our vet suggested fasting him until he had no more loose stools, then re-introducing the food. Try one thing at a time, so that you know what works, and what does not. We had to introduce foods (including treats) very slowly and one at a time, giving 2 weeks between introductions. We ended up feeding raw. We rotate between No-grain chicken, lamb, and venison. Good luck!
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Post by rikker on May 31, 2007 13:34:21 GMT -5
I would wait for the lamb and rice food to work -- but since we changed foods it has gotten worse -- so we have to change now. when we do change he only gets food -- we have eliminated everything else
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Post by clealand on Jun 1, 2007 22:24:10 GMT -5
I had a problem with my latest grey - Jimbo - with Big D and my vet treated him for a hookworm infestation which took 5 treatments until his stool showed clear for 2 consecutive visits. Unfotunately, he had most of the good bacteria for digestion cleared out too. He still had soft stool and occasional Big D but a food change over to Natural Balance Potato & Duck along with 2 tablespoons of an active culture yogurt cured the problem. Every other hound (3 greyhounds and a Scottish Deerhound) thrived on Kirkland Chicken & Rice from Costco at about $22 per 40 pound bag, but this fellow is only doing well on this at $75 for 30 pounds! It's worth it though to see him healthy and happy as well as no more brown puddles on the carpet.
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Post by samrob on Jun 2, 2007 11:41:18 GMT -5
The only thing we found that worked to fix Hotwire's colitis was raw. It was an immediate change, from explosive D (we could not even make it out of the house on time, if we were lucky enough to be at home!) to firm little poos. We were finally able to put weight back on him. We use The Ultimate Diet, No Grain. I have been there, and I know the pain. Good luck.
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