The Dreaded Update!
 

Well it back full force again, only darker and runnier with almost clear mucous. And stinky!

They took the last of the sulfa med 3 or 4 days ago, and I spoke to the vet over the phone as 2 were starting back with softer poos again. I didn't know which two, so I waited and now it's all 4!

I ran my own fecals on the three poos I collected this morning and all 3 have Giardia. I do direct smears ... at the vet's they did a flotation... Giardia rarely shows on a flotation.

So, I'm off to order some Panacur, and bleach my house. Tink is lost as I have collected ALL THE TOYS:eek:. They will also be washed in a bleach solution, along with everything else that is movable!

I will check back in as I take breaks, lol. Wish me luck!:D

Oh, my. Y'all have been through the ringer, I hope it is under control soon.

I'm so sorry, Kathy. I'm glad you found out the cause, and I hope they get better soon.

Oh dear, I hope they all feel better soon! How did you do your own fecal smear? Loll sounds so funny but not really huh?:p

Gosh, I feel bad for you and your little ones! I will pray that they get over this quickly! It's hard enough when one gets diarrhea, but 4!

Oh me too!

Thanks, Lisa.

Thanks. I have my own microscope that I use, so I can test any off-looking stools. I haven't done it myself for a few years, but these stools were too suspicious looking to be negative on everything. I'll tell my vet what I saw, then they'll repeat the direct smear at the vet's office, then give meds.

When a flotation is done, a bit of stool is mixed in a sugar:water solution which will separate any worm eggs from the stool and they float on top. Then it is examined under the microscope. The solution will thin out most other things, like Giardia, so it's easy to miss on a flotation.

When a direct smear is done, a tiny bit of stool is smeared right onto a glass slide, add a drop of water and examined under the microscope. It's harder to find worm eggs on a direct smear though, bc the solution causes the eggs to rise and condense on the surface, on the direct there is no solution, so the eggs don't separate and glom all together. But if the dog is heavily infested, one may see the eggs on a smear. Or sometimes stains are used depending on what the vet suspects may be causing a problem with the animal, to make it more defined. Giardia and other microorganisms are easier to see on a direct smear, because the stool has not been diluted.

One thing has changed though, their stools no longer look like colitis-type stools. And my neighbor's dog has the same type diarrhea that mine are having now, but my dogs have never been in contact with their dog or their property.

I've been lucky for a long time... no diarrhea for 2-3 years till this outbreak, so I won't complain too much, lol. I will say this though... I will be very happy to see normal stools again, the sooner the better!:D

hope everybody feels better soon

Thanks!


But it ain't happening soon enough! Threw my back out from wiping up dripping poo... this is bad! Poo literally just drips from their butts after they try to have a BM... sorry TMI! So they are back on metronidazole until I get the panacur.

I kept running fecals on the bad poos, and I have also found hookworms, which makes sense now with some of the symptoms I've been seeing. Three have kind of dry coats no matter what I use on them, two burp after eating and tend to get bloated on and off. No vomiting yet. Two seem to want to eat all the time, and should weigh a ton but they don't. Two have light gum color, well one is light, one has a tan tongue... odd. So with the 4 dogs, I'm seeing almost all the symptoms, each one has a different set though.

I did call the vet today, and requested Panacur through them, I did order it online, but I don't want to wait... they are trusting my fecal tests so that's good. But if they do want to see, at least I know who's sample to take as one is more heavily infested than the others, so that would help to get a better reading.

On a good note, they are are acting fine... playful, eating well, and now on the metro they're poops are firming up again... PTL!

(for those following my cat thread: No wonder he's trying to get out, lol!)

oh my what a nightmare, their pore little butts must be so sore as well as your back, fingers crossed it clears up soon.

This has been going on for six weeks?

I'd let the vet do the giardia testing with a SNAPntest. Other things can look like giardia. I'm a little confused why the vet hasn't given you Panacur.

:thumbup: I agree....there is another parasite that looks like giardia...and it is a totally different treatment. I forget the name of it and the name of the med now...
But, yes, Panacur is an easy fix and very inexpensive and easy to give. I would think that the vet would have given that from the start. I did not understand that original diagnosis of colitis as I said previously. It just did not make sense to me that four pups would have colitis.

[QUOTE=kjc;4194551]Thanks!


But it ain't happening soon enough! Threw my back out from wiping up dripping poo... this is bad! Poo literally just drips from their butts after they try to have a BM... sorry TMI! So they are back on metronidazole until I get the panacur.

I kept running fecals on the bad poos, and I have also found hookworms, which makes sense now with some of the symptoms QUOTE]
Are they not on Heart Worm Preventive, as this will prevent this from happening?

Colitis is awful. I have it and was diagnosed last summer after a month of pain. I'm on meds now and feel 100% better.

I hope your babies get better soon, it is not fun... But it is weird that all 4 have it. Are they related? Colitis can often be passed down through genetics.

Yes, my vet tried them on two different antibiotics first, as their stools were formed but very soft, and the fact that they were straining when trying to poo. She did agree to doing the Panacur when I called after the 2nd AB didn't work.

My vet thought it could be a stress colitis, which would/could have affected all four, going by their symptoms at the time. I don't think it's safe to deworm animals unless there's a need for it, deworming sick animals could cause more problems.

Mine are on Revolution, which does not treat for hook/whip worms in dogs.

Well, I guess I would want my vet to test rather than go by symptoms. Your pups had diarrhea for over 6 weeks...that's a long time. I did not suggest that you should deworm a sick animal btw. :confused:

In greater detail and testing that was done:

In March I treated them with metronidazole from my vet the last time this happened... one 5 day tx (diarrhea stopped), skipped 2 days diarrhea returned, continued Metronidazole for 3 more days (diarrhea stopped), diarrhea returned after two days, then a 10 day tx which stopped the diarrhea, added a bland diet, but it started again after being off the Metronidazole for 2 days.

I then, on 04/01/13, took Tinkerbell and Peek A Boo in for a check up. They both got an extensive exam, a fecal exam, bloodwork, and Tink got an abdominal xrays. All results were within normal limits/neg, except Peek A Boo, who was found to be in early stage kidney failure. Both went home on Sulfasalazine and Proviable (dietary supplement: probiotics). ($473.58)

On 04/04/13, I took Infinity and Sapphire in for their check up. They both had exams and fecals done/neg. The vet did not feel it was necesary at this time to do BW or Xrays on either of them They went home on Sulfasalazine, and she put everyone (including Tink and Peek) on ProPectalin (to stop the diarrhea).
($243.88)

On 04/23/13, I called, spoke with the vet, and got a prescription for Panacur filled, and started them all on it the same night. 3rd dose is tonight, and repeat in two weeks.
($56.00)

ETA: 2 days off the Sulfasalazine and the diarrhea came back (the diarrhea did stop while they were taking the Sulfasalazine), so called the vet to ask about Panacur.

I hope that the Panacur works. I can imagine how terrible it is to have 4 of them sick. I will keep them in my prayers!

Wow what an ordeal! I'm glad you found the culprit & they're being treated now...hope everything will turn out ok, cleaning 4 fur butts is a lot of work loll!

Another thing that my vet usually offers me for a pup with diarrhea and I always go for is an injection of chlopromazine...that stuff is amazing and stops the diarrhea within 12 hours! She ,of course, treats the cause but at least the symptoms are gone before the cause is!