Dog is losing weight, chronic diarrhea 2 years

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I have a 5y old pound puppy, part St. Bernard X ROttie? Any way he has had diarrhea for over 2 years. I have tried every thing, pepto, Metamucil, Rice diet with venison (homemade), you name it I've done or tried it. Everything goes right through him. Now he is starting to lose weight. He eats fine. When we first got him (at 6 months) he would'nt eat any kind of dogfood. He's still a little picky. Even give him Nutrasure (People high calorie drink), vet said it was ok do give it, helped with the weight for awhile, but ran out of drinks! (4 cases were given to me). The vet wants to run hundreds of dollars of tests, but there is no way we can afford them! Already had tests run when it first started. Sorry to run long! ANy one know what to do next? I hate to keep him outside, but cannot come in with this problem!

-- Tricia in NW PA (never-enough-pets@excite.com), January 02, 2002

Answers

I'm sorry about your dog. I think I'd check into the library, for books that might discuss the Rots and Berns and their hereditary illnesses. You might find something in there. There are even books that will help with herbal approaches for your pet's illnesses. Good luck, and give the pooch a hug for me.

-- Dawn (olsoncln@ecenet.com), January 02, 2002.

I'm guessing something in the intestines. Diarrhea for that long is critical. There may be a tumor (that's what I'm betting on). When that happens, and the colon is restricted, the animal (as well as humans) make sure there is no blockage by causing soft diarrhea stools that can pass the obstruction. You are either going to have to pay for some tests (I'd get another opinion) or put the animal down. The dog is going downhill and you have a decision to make.

-- Rickstir (rpowell@email.ccis.edu), January 02, 2002.

Could be a food allergy, try the dog foods that eliminate all corn products, including corn gluten meal. Search at the larger pet food stores, like Pet Supplies Plus, etc., to find a dog food without ANY corn products in it, and use that for a month to see if it helps. It will take a month to see any improvement so stick with it.

Also, you mentioned trying Metamucil, which is what the doctor's recommend to people with chronic diarrhea, but did you use it long enough and often enough? You should dose the dog at least twice a day with a by weight dose described on the label, best mixed with Dannon type plain yogurt to help restore beneficial bacteria to the gut. Use a dose syringe to administer the Metamucil/yogurt combo, that way you know the dog got the entire dose, unless you are lucky enough to have a pooch who likes yogurt :-)!!! Try this for at least two weeks to determine if it helps, won't hurt the problem.

-- Annie Miller in SE OH (annie@1st.net), January 02, 2002.


has the dog been checked for tapeworm?

-- Just Duckie (Duck@spazmail.com), January 02, 2002.

Have you tried any kind of meds in the 2 years? I would try liquid Albon for 21 days. Is he drinking out of a pond or something not too clean? Flagygel knocks out allot of tummy bugs like Guardia, but it's strong. What color is the diarrhea?

-- Cindy in KY (solidrockranch@msn.com), January 03, 2002.


try acidolpholis capsules from health food store it restores good bacteria in the intestine

-- js (schlicker54@aol.com), January 03, 2002.

I would check for hook worm .I have seen the same thing happen with it .Tell us what tests where run ? Certain worms can be harder to find in stool and need to be treated several times in a row to get them all.

-- Patty {NY State} (fodfarms@hotmail.com), January 03, 2002.

Assuming you have wormed the dog and tested for coccidia and giardia and he is free of these parasites I suspect there may be two areas of likely concern. Either the dog may be showing signs of kidney failure (chronic long term loss of salts and blood proteins in this can lead to chronic weight loss and hard to impossible to control diarrhea) or you could have a bacterial imbalance in the intestines (known as SIBO). Try a diet of cooked white rice and cooked green peas with tablespoon or so of corn syrup on it once a day. This seems to help the diarrhea in chronic kidney patients if they aren't too far gone. Keep meat to less than 4% of the diet and of high quality (like chicken or lean beef, no organ meats as the protein is what the kidneys can't handle.) For the second problem, acidolphilus may help, but in heavy duty SIBO cases you may want to go to Lactobacillus gg which colonizes the gut wall and helps to rebalance the GI population more aggressively. If you want to try the latter, send me an email and I can get the info out to you. Without testing you are shooting in the dark somewhat, but I can understand when the funds just aren't there to do what you'd like to do. Either of these palliative approaches aren't going to harm the dog and may just be the ticket to get the scoots under control.

-- Sandra Nelson (Magin@starband.net), January 03, 2002.

I have a daughter with a dog that suffered from irritable bowel syndrome. If the vet runs a few tests aimed at that they shouldn't be too costly. A special diet and some relatively inexpensive meds.have made the world of difference for her dog. I hope you and your beloved pet find some releif.

-- Valerie (pioneer@jamadots.com), January 03, 2002.

Try the BARF diet, yeah, i know.... sounds disguesting, but its not barf, it a acryomn for feeding a certain diet. You can find out more by going to the 7Mfarm@yahoogroups.com site and joining. folks swear by this. Good luck and try that if you have ruled all else out.

-- Bernice (geminigoats@yahoo.com), January 03, 2002.


I agree with Sandra and Rickster. I worked at a Vet office for 5 1/2 years. You need to make a decision as the pet is the one suffering. Surely the Vet has tested for intestinal parasites? Tumors and hereditary illnesses can be very expensive to treat. That is were your decision comes in, the dog can't tell you how much he is suffering. This does not sound like a simple problem. Sometimes we have to make a decision that would be made for the dog if he were in the wild, but since we have domesticated them they are now our responsibilty. Peace be to you.

-- Deidre Martin (willowfiona1@yahoo.com), January 06, 2002.

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