Very strange behaviour!

[docmartin]

Originally Posted by MauiGirl

Martin & Crystal, and Sally & Harry..... so happy to hear you survived the storm. Wow, that was crazy.

We were safe here Sandy, but like Sally, I've been out today and a few miles away there was bad damage.. I think because Fall has not properly started here the trees were heavy with leaves and also acted like sails because of it?

Thanks for your good wishes


Martin & Crystal

[docmartin]

Originally Posted by Harrysmum

Oh dear! If I were you, I truly would stick to the chicken that YOU cook....I know it's boring, but it's pure, and you know it doesn't upset her little tummy Might be worth chopping it REALLY finely, and adding it to her Royal Canin?

Anything that includes sugar or salt I avoid like the plague....an upset tummy in the making My heart goes out to you, that you're having all this upset with your wife away. Sally + Harry x

Definitely Sally, I was so sure she was back to normal. Amazed me how much salt there is in some things these days. I suppose having such tiny organs they are very prone to upsets through the wrong things! It's my regular little thing every morning boiling her chicken breasts, the the dreaded 'grooming' she still fights me to the death over that. Cleaning her eyes with saline solution, the walk, a real living hobby. Never mind, watching her is like being in a living cartoon, she's so eccentric. She had another little listen to mum tonight and then spent the next thirty minutes sat across my chest trying to gnaw my hand off, completely obliterating the TV!

All planned I'm sure!

[gracielove]

Your right. Small dogs tend to get more of a reaction to foods and medications than a larger dog would. You have to be so careful with meats and treats these days. We keep reading about the sneaky things that food producers get away with putting into our foods without having to even acknowledge it. It's even worse with pet foods over here because they are considered a "self regulated" industry. Basically they don't have to tell us what is really in the food.

I hope her digestive system settles down soon. She really does need more nutrition than just the chicken but she also needs to let the digestive system heal up before trying any new additions. When you do think she is ready try adding just one ingredient at a time until she is back to normal.

[docmartin]

Originally Posted by gracielove

Your right. Small dogs tend to get more of a reaction to foods and medications than a larger dog would. You have to be so careful with meats and treats these days. We keep reading about the sneaky things that food producers get away with putting into our foods without having to even acknowledge it. It's even worse with pet foods over here because they are considered a "self regulated" industry. Basically they don't have to tell us what is really in the food.

I hope her digestive system settles down soon. She really does need more nutrition than just the chicken but she also needs to let the digestive system heal up before trying any new additions. When you do think she is ready try adding just one ingredient at a time until she is back to normal.

Thank you, back to Chicken again. She's had a very loose motion this morning and accordingly I'm not going to feed her until later. Whatever it was it disagreed violently with her little system.

[docmartin]

I had to leave her a few hours today, as I had two hospital appointments 25 mile distant. She was a bit loose last night, so I did not feed her this morning. Upon return around 4.30 this afternoon I warmed some of the chicken I'd boiled last night. Three hours later she expelled two blobs of very dark brown liquid and the smell was terrible. (sorry to be so candid).

She's bright and happy, but I can't help feeling the beef strips I fed her yesterday as a treat didn't help as before these she was perfectly solid? More and more I think it's also part psychosomatic? Right now I feel bad for leaving her today, but I had to have an X-ray and then blood tests in another department. Those who know our story and have read the thread, know her mom is away for the first time in her life and Dad's been away in the day too.

Perhaps the Vet? I'll look around for one tonight, it's difficult finding a good one from the net, but I'll try?

Also I considered it good to keep her well hydrated, so now have her on freshly filtered water (new Brita Jug and filter), instead of the distilled bottled variety that might have been a bit stale?

[gracielove]

I really think the treat may have set things off again but she may also be getting too much protein being that she is only eating meat. A consult with the vet may be a good idea.

I'm really a grain free advocate but since she is having problems maybe some cooked rice added to the menu would help lighten up her diet.

[Harrysmum]

Originally Posted by docmartin

I had to leave her a few hours today, as I had two hospital appointments 25 mile distant. She was a bit loose last night, so I did not feed her this morning. Upon return around 4.30 this afternoon I warmed some of the chicken I'd boiled last night. Three hours later she expelled two blobs of very dark brown liquid and the smell was terrible. (sorry to be so candid).

She's bright and happy, but I can't help feeling the beef strips I fed her yesterday as a treat didn't help as before these she was perfectly solid? More and more I think it's also part psychosomatic? Right now I feel bad for leaving her today, but I had to have an X-ray and then blood tests in another department. Those who know our story and have read the thread, know her mom is away for the first time in her life and Dad's been away in the day too.

Perhaps the Vet? I'll look around for one tonight, it's difficult finding a good one from the net, but I'll try?

Also I considered it good to keep her well hydrated, so now have her on freshly filtered water (new Brita Jug and filter), instead of the distilled bottled variety that might have been a bit stale?

Martin, you're doing your very best - and you have to do what you have to do, for yourself, too. I think it's partly Irina not being there....but also maybe you're trying so many different things to make sure Crystal's eating properly?

Please don't beat yourself up, you're trying all you possibly can for your little Crystal...

Originally Posted by gracielove

I really think the treat may have set things off again but she may also be getting too much protein being that she is only eating meat. A consult with the vet may be a good idea.

I'm really a grain free advocate but since she is having problems maybe some cooked rice added to the menu would help lighten up her diet.

I totally agree. Some cooked rice (not express or frozen, too many additives including sunflower oil, TOO ploppy!) added to her chicken breast, plus a few steamed FRESH veggies (not canned, too much sugar + salt added), I'm sure, within a few days, will get her back to her old self.....please try it Martin....worth a little go?!!? Sally + Harry x

[docmartin]

Originally Posted by Harrysmum

Martin, you're doing your very best - and you have to do what you have to do, for yourself, too. I think it's partly Irina not being there....but also maybe you're trying so many different things to make sure Crystal's eating properly?

Please don't beat yourself up, you're trying all you possibly can for your little Crystal...



I totally agree. Some cooked rice (not express or frozen, too many additives including sunflower oil, TOO ploppy!) added to her chicken breast, plus a few steamed FRESH veggies (not canned, too much sugar + salt added), I'm sure, within a few days, will get her back to her old self.....please try it Martin....worth a little go?!!? Sally + Harry x

Thanks so much for the support Sal,

I've got some sweet potatoes but she rejected them on their own, last time after initially golloping them up. I thought they were delicious! Also carrots & marrow. I'll try these tomorrow. The Lily's Kitchen order arrived today including the Nutrition Supplement liquid. Dosage is a tablespoon per day, per 20kg of weight! I'm scared to give her anything, even in such a tiny little amount? I do feel like I'm letting her down, but she came right so quickly a few days ago I have hope that with plain wholesome food and my support and care she'll come right, poor little girl...

[Harrysmum]

Oh, my heart bleeds for you, I wish you lived closer....I'm sure Crystal and Harry would lap it all up, and enjoy one another's company and make it all better

I think maybe chicken + rice + fresh veggies....see how that goes and then start adding stuff like supplements - a gradual thing? It might be worth grinding up her Royal Canin to be kind of powdered into that, like a coating for the chicken, just to make sure she's getting all the nutrients she needs? We'll all be thinking of you! Sally + Harry x

[gracielove]

I agree. Rice mixed with beef or chicken is often prescribed for upset stomachs over here and it seems to work quite well. The rice will kind of lessen the effect of too much protein and help her digestion. Then if she does well with that for a couple of days add in the veggies.
Too much protein can be very hard on little dogs. They really need something to offset the meat. I would usually say give veggies but the cooked rice may be easier for her to digest at this point. If you mix the cooked rice in with your chicken as you cook it then it may be more appealing to her with the meat flavor blended into the rice.
I would still at least speak to the vet for some further input.

[Teegy]

When your dog has an upset stomach stay away from rice pumpkin etc. they give this false impression of helping but they actually cause blockage. When feeding meats buy from an organic butcher or reputable raw food purveyor. There is a misunderstanding that real fresh meats contain too much protein for small a dogs. It's the fats additives and chemicals added to foods you should worry about.
Stick to one thing. Cooked chicken is a gentle protein. Add some Greek plain yoghurt to it. I would also recommend a digestive enzyme to help breaking down the foods and allow her intestines to heal with the help of the probiotic in the yoghurt or but a probiotic and sprinkle it in her food. I also recommend feeding her the water from the cooked chicken to ensure she isn't dehydrating. I've yet to see a dog refuse to drink chicken water

[Teegy]

I'd be a bit concerned about two dark stinky blobs. What has your vet said about those��

[docmartin]

Originally Posted by Teegy

I'd be a bit concerned about two dark stinky blobs. What has your vet said about those��

Hello Teegy and thanks for the reply. I fed her 11am yesterday (Thursday) with boiled chicken again and tried carrots and a little marrow (also fresh boiled). There was a steadfast rejection of the vegetables but the chicken went very quickly. Tonight (Thursday) around 7.30 she had bad diarrhea and the smell was awful. She was ashamed and ran away, even though she'd hit the pad dead centre. I'm going to starve her until midday tomorrow Friday, (water only - freshly filtered). I have a few thoughts. Am I right in heating up the chicken for 15 secs in the microwave before feeding her, or should I leave it cold, but freshly boiled from the day before? I do enough for one whole day (prepared from frozen and boiled for 30 mins). Sometimes if one piece is bigger than others I put the remainder in the fridge overnight and take the chill off it for her breakfast. Could the re-heat be causing problems (ie I give it 20 seconds), maybe it should be really hot and left to cool - or not reheated at all? I've stayed away from Rice too.

Also we gave her distilled water to drink only as she still suffers a little from her eyes discharging and was told distilled water, reduces her Ph level. That said I wondered if it had deteriorated with age, or become infested somehow? We got 6 of those 2 litre bottles months back now. So today I poured the remaider away and gave her some fresh filtered from a new Brita unit I got from Tesco.

I also saw her sipping up some brackish rain water from a plant pot saucer on the balcony, following the storm, thats gone now as well!

She was fine and firm until Tuesday, when I gave her the beef strip slices (pre cooked and shrunk wrapped by Tesco). She's also still very jittery about mum being absent. I got the carpet cleaner out today and it took me 10 mins to find her cowering in her little carry crate/escape pod in the kitchen. She absolutely clings to me at the moment too and sleeps under the duvet curled up to my chest.

If after the 24 hour starve and boiled chicken only routine is no better after the weekend its off to the Vet I think? I'm loathe to give her any thing else?

That said, I have however ordered some 'Slippery Elm' (25mg) after watching a video from an American Vet who swears by it. After all it's natural and may do the trick?

[Lesyli]

Here in Hungary, both our Vet and Groomer have said not to feed them chicken. Vet said no poultry at all. Groomer said nothing with 2 legs. If Sylvester or Lili have a upset tummy I give them poached white fish. Coley or Pollock. No vegetables at all.

[docmartin]

Originally Posted by Lesyli

Here in Hungary, both our Vet and Groomer have said not to feed them chicken. Vet said no poultry at all. Groomer said nothing with 2 legs. If Sylvester or Lili have a upset tummy I give them poached white fish. Coley or Pollock. No vegetables at all.

Thank you and I'm in just the right place to get freshly caught Coley, I'll try it tomorrow...