YorkieTalk.com Forums - Yorkshire Terrier Community - View Single Post - Loose stools

mama2yorkies · 11-26-2010, 04:34 PM

I'm fairly new to YT but thought I'd share our story on loose stool in case it helps.

Our boy had loose stools for his whole life (he's 21 months old) until about a month ago. I really know how frustrating it can be. It started about a few days after we brought him home (the day of his first vet visit/puppy shots) with bad diarrhea. He was diagnosed with giardia and treated (I thing with flagyl. It got better for a few days and then he was diagnosed with coccidia and treated for that (I think with panacur but the meds may have been the other way around). The diarrhea got better but he had chronic loose stool for weeks after. We kept having him retested for parasites and nothing else ever showed up.

We worked with our vet for months and months thinking it was a food allergy. We tried many diets, including the prescription diet from the vet and bland diet of boiled meat and rice (no chicken) as well as several commercial diets and added a little canned pumpkin as a regular part of his diet- always switched very slowly and stayed on each for a few months at a time. We cut out ALL treats while this was going on. Some diets helped but he still had soft or loose stools. The last diet was Ziwi Peak and he did the best on this. We also tried several supplements and probiotics (slippery elm, jarrow, ect.) and diatomaceous earth as well. Nothing really helped give him consistently firm poop.

We finally started working with a holistic vet. We've had him on several probiotics and supplements (including gastrex and okra-pepsin to settle his tummy) and holistic remedies as well. All helped but not 100%.

About a month ago, the holistic vet felt he was stable enough to switch him to a raw diet (we went with Primal). We did this gradually like the rest. The day we started the transition to raw he had his first firm poop. He has had only perfect, firm poop ever since. It has been almost a month now and we are phasing out all of the other supplements. He's even allowed a few healthy treats again. I can't believe how great he's doing. I am completely sold on feeding a raw diet and really wish we had just switched sooner.

I realize that these results may not be the same for other pups but I thought I'd share our story in case it helps anyone else. I certainly feel for your frustration in trying to help your baby. Good luck!

11-26-2010, 04:34 PM	#38
mama2yorkies YT Addict Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: San Diego Posts: 288	I'm fairly new to YT but thought I'd share our story on loose stool in case it helps. Our boy had loose stools for his whole life (he's 21 months old) until about a month ago. I really know how frustrating it can be. It started about a few days after we brought him home (the day of his first vet visit/puppy shots) with bad diarrhea. He was diagnosed with giardia and treated (I thing with flagyl. It got better for a few days and then he was diagnosed with coccidia and treated for that (I think with panacur but the meds may have been the other way around). The diarrhea got better but he had chronic loose stool for weeks after. We kept having him retested for parasites and nothing else ever showed up. We worked with our vet for months and months thinking it was a food allergy. We tried many diets, including the prescription diet from the vet and bland diet of boiled meat and rice (no chicken) as well as several commercial diets and added a little canned pumpkin as a regular part of his diet- always switched very slowly and stayed on each for a few months at a time. We cut out ALL treats while this was going on. Some diets helped but he still had soft or loose stools. The last diet was Ziwi Peak and he did the best on this. We also tried several supplements and probiotics (slippery elm, jarrow, ect.) and diatomaceous earth as well. Nothing really helped give him consistently firm poop. We finally started working with a holistic vet. We've had him on several probiotics and supplements (including gastrex and okra-pepsin to settle his tummy) and holistic remedies as well. All helped but not 100%. About a month ago, the holistic vet felt he was stable enough to switch him to a raw diet (we went with Primal). We did this gradually like the rest. The day we started the transition to raw he had his first firm poop. He has had only perfect, firm poop ever since. It has been almost a month now and we are phasing out all of the other supplements. He's even allowed a few healthy treats again. I can't believe how great he's doing. I am completely sold on feeding a raw diet and really wish we had just switched sooner. I realize that these results may not be the same for other pups but I thought I'd share our story in case it helps anyone else. I certainly feel for your frustration in trying to help your baby. Good luck!