[Kwenami]

Hey guys.

So some of you may know, but Doppler got sick about 2 days after we moved. I'm looking for advice and suggestions, speculation, and whatever else you want to chime in-just support, because this is ridiculous and I am exhausted. he's seeing a vet tomorrow and I have made a call already for an e-vet.

It started with me letting him in after a walk. He drank a TON of water (not more than would be normal for his size just lots for his size) and started running around like mad and jumping on tables and things. He puked once, which I noticed later, kept running. I asked for an off from a table (which we haven't taught but I asked nicely and he did jump off)-and he got off immediately and puked. The puke was water with one soggy kibble piece. I figured, nothing to worry about-he was running super hard and jerked himself around, and that's not unreasonable.

Fast forward about 30 minutes after I've put him in his crate. He starts shaking and looking more lethargic than usual. He has a liquid poop in his crate-abnormal for him; although he's not house trained, he hasn't been pooing in his crate before now. It is LATE, past midnight, so I call the e-vet and ask if its better to bring him in or let him rest and monitor. I was sure I was going to bring him in-but in the off chance rest was better (esp with all the stress, he isn't CC'd to vets) it was worth a call. The e-vet has me check his gums (normal) and asked more questions, then said he was better off being monitored and resting. I switched him to a boiled chicken/rice/apple (for fiber) diet the next morning as per her suggestion.

Long story for the rest of the week short: after about 3 days he started almost forming stools..and then it declined quickly and he started tripling his accidents in his crate (more frequent, less volume). On day 4 there was some noticeable weight loss-day 5 and 6 its obvious. Today is day 6, he will be seeing a vet tomorrow when they open. He's acting fairly normal - sleeping a bit more than usual (but he's also been VERY stressed so he's been awake more than usual, too) and his eyes are bright. He's still running around on walks. He's ALWAYS a cuddler, but he's being extra cuddly so I know he's still feeling bleh.

I've been VERY careful on walks since we're downtown-he picked up a napkin once and RG'd but I had treats and managed to take it back. Vince took him out another time and he ate a napkin. Other than that, he hasn't been overly interested in stray poops (for a dog, other than a sniff and move on) and hasn't picked up anything to my knowledge. I got him in November, just at the end of our flea/tick/heartworm med season-I'm guessing he wasn't medicated though, based on other things from the previous owner.

I was originally hoping to bring him to the vet after the move for his hind (detached) dew claws, microchip and a teeth cleaning and checkup at a vet I trust rather than a random vet (the one I had Koda see during the summer was unimpressive). He was recently vaccinated and neutered and I will be searching through the packing stuff to find the form.

I'm thinking of using training pads in his crate since he's obviously sick and having so many accidents that my hands are rubbed raw. Good or bad? He was originally trained on them but when he started graduating to outside they took them away and he never really transitioned and got used to peeing and pooping on the floor.

Any ideas? I'm taking the apple back out of his diet-obvious fiber is not helping. He's still drinking but not a ton.

 

[TiggerBounce]

Hard to say. Could be quite a few things.

He could have something like giardia or coccidia, which aren't often killed by monthly preventatives. Some dogs can be totally asymptomatic until they get stressed out or get sick from something else, then the diarrhea comes. Giardia also isn't always screened for in a typical in-house fecal. The cysts are very tiny and are difficult to ID on a slide. We use a separate ELISA SNAP test, which is basically a reagent solution of enzymes that interact with any giardia antigens that may be present in the stool to show up positive.

It could also actually be stress alone. The clinic where I work also boards dogs and it's not uncommon for some of them to start having diarrhea about 2 days into their stay. Sometimes it's even bloody diarrhea.

As far as a possible intestinal blockage goes, the symptoms your describing are not typical for that. He's eating and keeping down food. It's not impossible, but sounds unlikely. Idk if he ever gets table scraps (intentionally or not), but that can sometimes do it to. Some small dogs are very sensitive to fatty foods and even a small snack of something abnormal will throw them into a bout of pancreatitis.

Anyway, I'd run a full blood panel and a fecal. And depending on those results, think about abdominal x-rays.

I'd keep feeding the rice and chicken. Wouldn't use apple since fruit can actually cause diarrhea in some dogs. The fiber from the rice should be enough. Maybe consider a prescription bland diet (like Royal Canine Gastrointestinal or Hill's i/d) for a short period of time until things get regulated, then wean him back to your normal diet.

 

[Rain]

I'd use pumpkin, sweet potato, or plain white rice (slightly over cooked), rather then apple in his food. I've never heard of using apple before and would think it could make the diarrhea worse not better.

Have you tried fasting him for 12 to 24 hours? That's one of the things that's recommended when a dog has diarrhea, it helps to give their stomach and gut a chance to settle down. 24 hours is best, but I've never managed it with Zody he gets hunger pukes so I just stick with overnight with him.

 

[Kwenami]

I've always used apple for Koda and it helped her a ton but yea he's already switched off that. I doubt its a blockage as well...more thinking parasites? I'm not even sure he had monthly preventatives.

I haven't fasted him but he's super thin...we'll see what the vet says. I would be more than happy to fast and give IV fluids for a bit and see how he does. We may end up doing that anyways...

I'm not sure it's stress alone, either. I would have thought so too but 2 months ago he was flown in cargo to get to me with way bigger changes, and he's acting pretty normal and not offering up much in terms of stress signals. He's sleeping right through when Koda goes to say hello at the crate (btw, they're both doing AWESOME with just a one barrier setup...Koda is super polite and comfortable and so is he). It just doesn't seem to fit perfectly even though that definitely part of this and he's likely to be super stressed.

I also have not really given him a chance to accidentally get scrap food-he's been crated due to house training/sick issues, and there's more than 2 barriers between him and the kitchen table. He *could* have picked up something on a walk but I've been super careful and Vince has been letting me know when he does and has been watching him too when I get help so I'm just not convinced yet until the blood work and fecal comes back.

I've been washing his blankets and crate non-stop =\

-----------------------

ON THE UPSIDE, he let me sleep today. We woke up, he already had an accident, they got fed and out, and then he came in and went straight to bed. So I did too until like...2 PM. YAY. I needed it more than he did almost

 

[crazy]

much as im not fan of prescription foods the hills i/d does help Jessie had it once before chicken allergy because she had so much diareha and she loved the canned version and it helped overnight, ozzy had it awhile ago because he kept having diareha or vomiting cant remember which and was off his food so mum took him straight to dr mike where he stayed for observation. Being a lab its serious if they wont eat. Dr mike got him eating eventually with iv fluids and gave the tinned hills i/d which really helped him. over here they use pork in it not chicken.

I think doppler warrants it as well as more aggresive treatment etc.

def get fecal tests done for the parasites but i know you wil do this

 

[crazy]

How did it go at vets?

 

[Kwenami]

Vets went well-he prescribed a medication for 2 weeks and said blood work and fecal exams might be overkill if he gets better with just that-since he was super lively and has been acting normally. He was mildly concerned about the weight loss but if the meds help he should gain it back reasonably well and won't need IV fluids. Doppler was GREAT with this guy and apparently is not normally so good at vets, so I'm happy. He hasn't pooped since eating with the meds in it.

Yay