Intermittent Diarrhea

[Bos]

My little Bos has been having intermittent diarrhea since the end of June. He's currently 7 months old. I initially thought it could be due to a couple treats I gave him. I started giving him NutriDent green chews for his breath. Around the same time I gave him some store brand treats that look like little steaks. He developed the diarrhea a couple days after that. I stopped those treats, and he never got more than 2 Nutridents and 3 fake steak treats. I thought maybe those green Nutridents was a little too rich for him. I took him to 3 different vets (though in the same clinic) and they don't seem concerned at all.

I also thought back to what else could have happened. I once left him in the backyard to pee while I took the trash to the curb for 2 minutes. Came back and his mouth was wet and he was over by the well. Probably drank some stagnant and I think he ate a bug too because he vomited it up very soon after. Diarrhea occurred 4 days or so after that. He had already been getting those new treats a few days before this incident.

He has been on Royal Canine Yorkie food since his previous owner (I got him when he was 3 months) and never had a problem with diarrhea on it before these events. He was put on Gastrointestinal Royal Canine canned and has done well on that. They told me to start transitioning him back after 2 weeks, I waited about a month and am now trying to transition him back to regular Royal Canine. I'm running into the diarrhea issue again. I am transitioning him VERY slowly. About 1/8th cup kibble with his canned food which he gets twice a day.

The diarrhea is very very foul smelling. I can smell him from several yards away when I take him out. There is sometimes mucous but never seen any blood, worms, eggs, etc. I sometimes think he may be picking up little bits of inedible objects in the yard and swallowing them up before I can remove them from his mouth, but I've been watching him like a hawk and often take him out back on a leash or training collar. Since the pond water incident I go out there every time with him to do his business. I have a large lot and lots of trees in my backyard which means lots of bugs, acorns, birds, and lizards.

He is never in any distress. He has been his normal lovable self the entire time and has never stopped playing or appeared sick. He stays hydrated and his appetite has not changed. He licks the bowl clean. I can't give him any extra food than what's suggested for dosing because he will have diarrhea with that too.

Went to the vet and they did stool samples. They said there was "dead bacteria" in his sample but nothing infectious. Didn't quite understand that because the gut is full of bacteria so what does dead bacteria mean?

I'd really like him to stop having diarrhea and I'd like to get him back on his old diet. He previously never had any issue with a sensitive stomach. He could eat those 1.5 calorie treats, Kong squeeze cheese, watermelon, apples, and chicken breast with no issues.

Sorry for the long post but I'm trying to include all the information I think is relevant. I've searched the threads for diarrhea but didn't quite get the answer I was looking for.

Anybody have any experience with this? Could it be pancreatitis? He never has pain and has never had a fever. Is this just food allergy or food sensitivity? He was never sensitive before late June. I got him in early May, so had him for almost 2 months with no problems.

Any assistance would be appreciated.

[tmbroo]

Hi there!


My Yorkie is Rex, and I too have been having the same issues. He was completely fine when I brought him home and has been on the Royal Canine as well. He is 3 months old.


Just in the last 4 days he has been having loose bowels and I noticed the mucousy discharge. Of course my first response is to freak out. Vet said he checked out ok and that Yorkies just have ultra sensitive tummies and to not feed him anymore treats. I'm like you, I just feel there is more to it when he didn't get many treats to start with.


Sorry I couldn't provide any advice, but it does make me feel better knowing that others are experiencing the same thing. I hope this will pass soon.

[chickensmith]

Hi!! I'm sorry your little boy is having tummy troubles! It's very stressful! I just have a few questions/suggestions you could take to your vet....or if you prefer maybe a new vet? I will share with you My case with Winnie. Apologies in advance cuz it may be long ;-) I brought her home At 10 weeks old. She is 18 1/2 weeks now. The breeder had her weaned on blue buffalo and I kept her on that when I brought her home. Right after I picked her up she had liquid diarrhea....and it continued. She was seen the very next morning for her new puppy check and the vet felt it could be from stress of the trip and gave me fortiflora (probiotic powder) to put on her food. That straightened out the diarrhea but she continued to have soft poo and went anywhere from 4-7 times a day. I talked to her vet about it and she said to leave her on the BB for a little longer and see if her tummy straightened out...if not it could be too much protein for her. So we waited....and it didn't improve. We tried transitioning to wellness....and with just a few kibbles mixed in each day for three days it made her breath smell awful and gave her diarrhea again. So we went back to BB alone and the diarrhea went away almost immediately and within a couples days her breath was fine......then.....she ate a mushroom. Not a poisonous one but it still caused quite an uproar. Wound up in the vets office with her crying in pain and drooling. It was very scary....needless to say once they got rid of the gas she came home slept for a day when she wasn't eating...she was on i/d for a week and loved it! Her vet believed that she had an underlying intestinal upset/infection from the amount of protein in the BB. She came home with these instructions: hills i/d 2 spoons three to four times a day for a week, probiotic powder on her food even day, metronidazole (antibiotic) for 5 days. And a slow slow slow transition (five kibbles of new food mixed into i/d for 3 days, then 8 kibbles and less i/d and so on over a weeks time) into a new food with lower protein. We settled on hills ideal balance small puppy mainly because there is slightly less protein and no corn. Since shes been on the i/d and now only her hills and probiotic powder every day she has had the most normal poops I have seen from her since she came home. So my opinions are: #1 speak to your vet about an antibiotic. There may still be some live bacteria causing issues...and who knows...maybe the dead bacteria is still causing issues. #2 try a probiotic...I have seen a lot of members here that give it to their yorkies also. And #3 I would try to find a food other than royal canin. There is corn in it....and maybe that is upsetting the tummy also. Again...sorry for the long story...but I hope it helps! I know how upsetting it is when our little fur butts are having issues!!

[chickensmith]

P.s. I wanted to add....when winnie was on the i/d her poop did have a very very strong odor to it....

[Bos]

tmbroo, my dog was on Royal Canine for 2 months before the diarrhea started. He is currently on RC but the gastro friendly food which is almost 3 bucks a can.

[Bos]

Chickensmith, he was given probiotic powder packets that I used on his food. All they had were 6 doses so I used that. Now I give him probiotic chews. He's been doing ok on those chews and the RC Gastrointestinal Health canned food. I thought it may be the RC but now I'm scared to switch him for fear of more diarrhea. He's never been on antibiotics. I haven't tried I/D but I think I would need a prescription for that. I think I see it at the checkout at the vet.

[Marcy_]

Hello,
I just got a Pom pup three weeks ago. Unfortunately, she ended up having a very extreme hypoglycemic episode (very close to death as per the vet). She did not have any diarrhea before this episode but on the way to the ER, she did have very loose bowels. We found out that she had Giardia. Our other Pom ended up getting diarrhea 3 days after she came home to us. We just contributed it to stress but found out Giardia is contagious and they were eating and drinking out of the same bowls. It is VERY common and can be taken care of with meds. Here is a link: Parasitic Diarrhea (Giardiasis) in Dogs | petMD


Hope this helps.

[bjh]

Some yorkies get IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). I would recommend adding a probiotic supplement to his diet. Also giving a teaspoon of Greek yogurt with probiotics in it a couple times a day could really help too.

[chickensmith]

Originally Posted by Bos

Chickensmith, he was given probiotic powder packets that I used on his food. All they had were 6 doses so I used that. Now I give him probiotic chews. He's been doing ok on those chews and the RC Gastrointestinal Health canned food. I thought it may be the RC but now I'm scared to switch him for fear of more diarrhea. He's never been on antibiotics. I haven't tried I/D but I think I would need a prescription for that. I think I see it at the checkout at the vet.

Morning!! How's your little guy doing today? I know every vet is different but Winnie's vet is amazing! I can ask her pretty much anything .... We have a great phone relationship as well as in the office. I would ask his vet if it would hurt to try an antibiotic....and I would continue with the probiotics. Its good that he is acting normal otherwise but it really does sound like he's having some food issues .... However that's just my opinion :-) has your vet suggested cutting out all treats or foods other than his puppy food for a while? Winnie's vet suggested doing the I/d and probiotic powder only. No treats no chews. Nothing but I/d. I don't believe you need a prescription...any vet that carries hills should have it. 4 cans lasted Winnie a week of full I/d and a week of mixing. She is doing wonderful right now. She is on nothing but hills ideal balance and her probiotics (Purina fortiflora but there are many options...). We are still refraining from treats and her vet said to introduce treats one kind at a time to be able to see if they bother her. Kind of like a controlled test! This is my first yorkie....and boy has she been a learning experience! I worked as a vet tech for 6 years so I have a good background but boy are yorkies something all of their own!! It seems to me they have a lot of tummy troubles! Honestly I really would try with a bland diet for even just a few days. Nothing else. No chews or treats. Trust me this is hard cuz they can be quite pitiful!! This is Winnie's third week of no treats! Add the probiotics powder to the food (least amount of foreign ingredients possible) and slowly introduce a new food....keeping him on RC may just make the issues his tummy is having much worse.

[Bos]

Originally Posted by chickensmith

Morning!! How's your little guy doing today? I know every vet is different but Winnie's vet is amazing! I can ask her pretty much anything .... We have a great phone relationship as well as in the office. I would ask his vet if it would hurt to try an antibiotic....and I would continue with the probiotics. Its good that he is acting normal otherwise but it really does sound like he's having some food issues .... However that's just my opinion :-) has your vet suggested cutting out all treats or foods other than his puppy food for a while? Winnie's vet suggested doing the I/d and probiotic powder only. No treats no chews. Nothing but I/d. I don't believe you need a prescription...any vet that carries hills should have it. 4 cans lasted Winnie a week of full I/d and a week of mixing. She is doing wonderful right now. She is on nothing but hills ideal balance and her probiotics (Purina fortiflora but there are many options...). We are still refraining from treats and her vet said to introduce treats one kind at a time to be able to see if they bother her. Kind of like a controlled test! This is my first yorkie....and boy has she been a learning experience! I worked as a vet tech for 6 years so I have a good background but boy are yorkies something all of their own!! It seems to me they have a lot of tummy troubles! Honestly I really would try with a bland diet for even just a few days. Nothing else. No chews or treats. Trust me this is hard cuz they can be quite pitiful!! This is Winnie's third week of no treats! Add the probiotics powder to the food (least amount of foreign ingredients possible) and slowly introduce a new food....keeping him on RC may just make the issues his tummy is having much worse.

He's doing fine, went back on RC Gastrointestinal then I went to the vet to get a scrip for I/D Gastrointestinal. Just started giving it to him today so we'll see. It wasn't a vet visit, they just gave me a scrip. If this doesn't work then I'll go in and try to get a better answer. Poor little guy hasn't had a treat in 2 months since I'm being very strict with his diet.

[chickensmith]

I hope his tummy feels better soon!!!!

[Wylie's Mom]

Oh my gosh, how frustrating. I would have his stool checked specifically for giardia -- giardia, btw, can hide under scope so sometimes it takes several tests to diagnose is. What I wonder though is if he actually already *had* giardia, recovered, and is now suffering the common after effects that some dogs have afterwards (for months!). This is what happened to my Marcel - he had giardia as young puppy, and then had diarrhea that no vet could fix for MONTHS. I finally consulted a pet nutritionist and she put him immediately on a home cooked white fish/green beans/potato diet and *boom*, his diarrhea was gone in 2 days...we fed that diet for about 1.5 months and then switched to raw and have been feeding that now for years.

I'd get him on a probiotic like Nature's Farmacy's version, which also has digestive enzymes. You might also want to try giving some Benefiber to see what that does, as it could help.

If it continues, I'd recommend the fish diet for a while to see if that helps.

Could also be IBS - has that been discussed by the vet?

[Bos]

Originally Posted by Wylie's Mom

Oh my gosh, how frustrating. I would have his stool checked specifically for giardia -- giardia, btw, can hide under scope so sometimes it takes several tests to diagnose is. What I wonder though is if he actually already *had* giardia, recovered, and is now suffering the common after effects that some dogs have afterwards (for months!). This is what happened to my Marcel - he had giardia as young puppy, and then had diarrhea that no vet could fix for MONTHS. I finally consulted a pet nutritionist and she put him immediately on a home cooked white fish/green beans/potato diet and *boom*, his diarrhea was gone in 2 days...we fed that diet for about 1.5 months and then switched to raw and have been feeding that now for years.

I'd get him on a probiotic like Nature's Farmacy's version, which also has digestive enzymes. You might also want to try giving some Benefiber to see what that does, as it could help.

If it continues, I'd recommend the fish diet for a while to see if that helps.

Could also be IBS - has that been discussed by the vet?

They haven't discussed IBS. They think his regular Royal Canin is now upsetting his stomach. He had an little episode of mixed stool this morning. I've started the slow transition to i/d.