OMG! HELP! PLEASE! I am in tears! Tatum is pooping out BLOODY GEL!!!

[SugarMama]

I hope little Tatum is feeling better. My last dog did this occasionally. I was scared to death the first time it happened. All of the worst case scenarios flash through your mind. My Bella's was from a sensitive stomach, we were slowly switching her food but it still upset her tummy. She had watery diarrhea and when she didn't have anything left to poop out she had the bloody gel. We took her to the vet and it was caused from irritation from straining so much & from the upset stomach. They gave us meds to stop the diarrhea and an antibiotic to prevent infection.

Oh, and BRAVO to your breeder! She sounds like a wonderful person. I wish I lived close to her so that I could buy a baby from her or recommend someone to her!

Try to get some sleep tonight (between potty breaks!). Let us know what the vet says.

[stedmansmommy]

Originally Posted by Breny

I would call your vet 1st thing but my Brodie had that when I first brought him home as a puppy and he had coccidia. I took a sample in and they tested it and thats what it was.

They gave me meds and it cleared right up.

Does it have a non-poop smell? I can't describe it but there was a certain smell to it.

Coccidia and Giardia are what I'm thinking...one or the other I am just so SICK over all this. I swear I have gone through NOTHING with Stedman at all...he is always as healthy as a horse. It has just been one thing after another with Tatum It's not her fault of her...I just want my baby well

Oh and it really didn't smell like ANYTHING to me It's so weird!

[BabyFidgette]

I'm so sorry your baby is sick. I would be taking pics too for help! I know you've heard this before, but get her to a vet asap. Only s/he can tell you what's wrong with your baby. Good luck, and give us an update.

[stedmansmommy]

Originally Posted by bettyeanne

That happened once when we were traveling ... had to get Toto to ER vet in Paducah, KY! She was dehydrated and had an intestinal inflammation. He gave her Flagyl and she was better by the next AM. We were able to continue on to CO and I got her to our vet there. She was fine in only about a week on the meds. Hope little Tatum will be OK. Please update us.

Thanks girl! My breeder actually did mention that I should ask my vet to put her on the Flagyl, which I definitely will. I also want him to test her stool samples though just to SEE if anything shows up.

I will keep you guys updated for sure!

[paulapoo]

Otis did this twice, once it was worms and the other time I changed his food and didn't know to take it slow. His little tummy was very irritated and I hear gurgle gurgle gurgle. It's so frightening. I'm sure the vet will be able to help you in the morning!! Let us know how she's doing.

[stedmansmommy]

Originally Posted by karren

Hi. my little Chloe did the same thing and they found out its coccidia, bloody gel like stool and it stinks.... I thought it was the greenies but I requested an x ray and they found coccidia.... The vet was blaming me for feeding it too much...... but she's okay now....she is in doggy heaven..... not from coccidia... it's from congenital heart disease and liver problems... so I highly recommend to get her checked out......by the vet...........wish you luck.......

Awww, I am SO very sorry to hear about your little Chloe It sure does sound like that poor baby went through alot It is just so awful when our little ones have so many problems

She is definitely going to the vet and I will have everything tested and checked out...will post an update tomorrow!

[stedmansmommy]

Originally Posted by Breny

Coccidia and Giardia








Coccidia
Coccidia are not technically a worm, but a protozoan parasite that infect dogs and cats primarily, but can be seen in other species.

Life cycle
Coccidia life cycles are complex and involve many stages of development. Coccidia produce cysts instead of larvae and eggs. Dogs and cats usually get the infection from ingesting the cysts in the environment or eating animals like mice that are already infected.

Symptoms
Symptoms usually occur in young animals and include diarrhea and abdominal pain. These young animals can become severely dehydrated and the infection can be life threatening. This is especially true in pets that are stressed or have other parasites. Many pets, especially the older ones, do not show any symptoms when infected.

Diagnosis
Diagnosis of Coccidia infection is made by identifying the very small eggs in a fecal sample. They can be very difficult to detect due to their small nature and variable shedding by a pet. This is why our doctors will occasionally treat a pet for Coccidia even though the fecal exam is negative for this parasite.







Treatment



Albon is a good antibiotic used to treat coccidia.

Prevention
Prompt removal of feces helps prevent continued environmental contamination.

Public Health Significance
A version of Coccidia, called Toxoplasmosis, is of particular significance to pregnant women since it can cause disease in unborn children. The most common source of infection for pregnant women is eating improperly cooked meat (especially pork, lamb, and venison), not necessarily from the feces of cats. In a cat that does have Toxoplasmosis, the eggs that are laid in the environment (litter pan) do not become infective until 24 hours have passed. If the litter pan is cleaned twice daily the eggs will not have time to become infective to pregnant women. Wear gloves when you change the litter pan. Better yet,have someone else clean the litter pan. When you garden you should also wear gloves since stray cats may use the soil as a litter pan. Keeping your cat indoors and not feeding it raw meat will prevent it from getting Toxoplasmosis and passing it on.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention more than 60 million people in the United States are infected with the Toxoplasmosis parasite. Few have symptoms because a healthy immune systems keeps it in check. You may feel like you have the "flu," swollen lymph glands, or muscle aches and pains that last for a few days to several weeks. However, most people who become infected with toxoplasmosis don't know it. On the other hand, people with immune system problems, such as those with HIV/AIDS, those taking certain types of chemotherapy, or persons who have recently received an organ transplant, and infants, may develop severe toxoplasmosis, which results in damage to the eye or the brain. Infants who became infected before birth can be born retarded or with several other serious mental or physical problems.





Giardia
Giardia are also protozoal parasites that live in the small intestines. Giarida are found every where in the world, Infection rates are variable, with younger animals having a higher rate of infection. There are various strains that differ in their potential to cause disease. The strain called Giarda lamblis (also called intestinalis or duodenalis) is the primary strain of people, companion animals. and livestock.

This parasite can be found on fecal exams of healthy pets that don't have any symptoms. It is probably underdiagnosed due to the chronic nature of the problem it presents and the difficulty of coming up with a positive diagnosis.

Giardia exists in 2 forms; trophozoites and cysts. The active and motile form, called trophozoites, are the stage which lives in the intestines of an affected mammal. These trophozoites produce non-motile cysts which are shed into the environment. The cysts remain viable in the environment for months, especially in cool and moist areas. They thrive in clear and cool water, a good reason not to drink running water in the outdoors, no matter how pristine it looks. The cysts are killed by freezing, boiling, and extended contact with disinfectants.

It is theorized that giardia make pets prone to food allergies. By interfering with the intetstinal lining they let in proteins that stimulate the immune system to cause an allergic reaction.

Life cycle
The cysts in a contaminated environment are transmitted to mammals or birds upon ingestion. Gastric acid and pancreatic enzymes work on these cysts in the stomach and intestines, causing them to release 2 trophozoites. These motile trophozoites attach to the lining of the small intestine where they interfere with digestion. Within 2 weeks they encyst and are passed in the feces to contaminate the environment and await another host.






Symptoms
In many pets there aren't any symptoms, while in others that do show symptoms, the problem might resolve by itself. The most susceptible pets are puppies and kittens, pets with other internal parasites, and debilitated pets. Diarrhea that occurs can be severe and can be accompanied by poor appetite and dehydration. Vomiting, weight loss and blood in the stool are occasional symptoms.

Diagnosis
Giardia can be hard to diagnose because the parasite cysts become shriveled in the routine fecal solution that is used to bring eggs to the surface and adhere to the cover slip. Special fecal flotation solutions (zinc sulfate) are a more accurate manner to make the diagnosis. Cysts can be shed intermittently, so several samples are sometimes needed to make this diagnosis.

Fresh fecal samples that are not put in the fecal solution can sometimes show the parasite. We sometimes send fecal solutions to our outside lab for special tests when we suspect the problem yet we don't find the parasite. Just like Coccidia, our doctors might treat for this disease even on negative fecal samples.






Treatment
Flagyl is the drug routinely used to treat Giardia, although it does not cure all Giardia infections. The usual course of therapy is for 5 days, although our doctors will vary this dose depending on specific circumstances. Other medications are sometimes used if the Flagyl is not effective. There is no drug that is 100% effective against Giardia.

We recommend treating pets that are positive for Giardia even if they don't have any symptoms. This helps eliminate environmental contamination, and helps minimize spread to people. If one pet in a household has Giardia we recomment treating all pets.

Prevention
Giardia cysts in a kennel are relatively easy to destroy with routine disinfectants, and are susceptible to drying and heat. Once an environment like a lawn is contaminated though, it can be almost impossible to eliminate this parasite.

Good nutrition, avoiding overcrowding, general parasite control, and proper sanitation procedures are all critical in prevention. Cleaning up feces on a daily basis goes a long way to preventing contamination.

A vaccine availabe for dogs is very helpful in persistent infections.

Public Health Significance
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Giardia is one of the most common causes of waterborne diseases in humans in the United States. Many people get Giardia from other people and and contaminated water. Symptoms in people include diarrhea, abdominal cramps and nasuea. They appear within 2 weeks of exposure to the parasite. Exposure comes from many sources. They include swallowing water from swimming pools, lakes, rivers or streams that have been contaminated with animal or human feces. Fruits and vegetables that have not been washed (with Giardia free water!), along with accidental ingestion from hands contaminted by using toys, bathrooms, changing tables, etc., are also sources of infection. This emphasizes the importance of routine washing of hands. Boiling drinking water for one minute will kill this parasite.

We routinely treat pets with Giardia in their feces, even if they are not showing any symptoms, because of the potential for people to pick up this disease. Washing your hands frequently after touching your pet and bathing your pet frequently will help minimize exposure. This will help prevent human exposure.

Thank you SO MUCH for posting this Brenda! You have been SUCH a big help and I read the entire thing from top to bottom. It really did give me some very important, and valuable information about all if this!

I just keep thinking Giardia or Coccidia Hopefully I am wrong but WHATEVER it is I just hope that whatever meds he gives her works and that she is ok. I just HATE it when she is sick and is in pain It just kills me.

Thank you again Brenda, I really do appreciate you posting this!

[BabyFidgette]

Originally Posted by stedmansmommy

Thanks girl! My breeder actually did mention that I should ask my vet to put her on the Flagyl, which I definitely will. I also want him to test her stool samples though just to SEE if anything shows up.

I will keep you guys updated for sure!

I could be jumping the gun, but if she told you to put her on Flagyl, she might know something.

[stedmansmommy]

Originally Posted by yorkiemalt

First off....a HUGE HUG to you! What your breeder emailed you is exactly what I was going to say.

Red blood is better than the old brownish/black blood. It's caused by an irration from God knows what....what she's saying about the giardia and all your recent rain makes alot of sense.

Phoebi had the same looking stool from giardia and Chan had it once from a simple stomach virus.

The object now is to give her intestines a rest.....no more food for awhile. At least until the morning when you can get her to your regular Vet. The Kaopectate will help bind her up too...great idea with that too.

Your breeder sounds wonderful and caring. Looks like she'll only be an email away all evening.

Hang in there and hugs to you and Tatum.

Kim

Thank you so much Kim! Tatum's breeder is just WONDERFUL and she is always right there to help me whenever I need it. I just love her and am so happy to of found her...and Tatum too of course She LITERALLY e-mails me back (TWICE!) within FIVE MINUTES of my sending that e-mail to her. She is just THE BEST.

After I am done replying to everyone, I am going to run out and get her some Kaopectate...hopefully that will help her. I just really want to get her to the vet first thing tomorrow and have her stool samples tested and let the vet look at her. I want to know what is wrong with my baby girl

I will post an update as soon as I hear the news tomorrow! Please pray that it isn't anything TOO bad

[baby03]

Originally Posted by BabyFidgette

I could be jumping the gun, but if she told you to put her on Flagyl, she might know something.

Do you really think so ???? She has had Tatum since Late February!!

[stedmansmommy]

Originally Posted by BabyFidgette

I could be jumping the gun, but if she told you to put her on Flagyl, she might know something.

Yeah, she mentioned the possibility of Giardia because of all the rain we have been having here lately. I mean, it has literally been raining here NON STOP and my yard has been just FLOODED. In fact, we have had so much rain that it ruined 51 homes in our downtown area and they actually declared the town that we live in a Disaster Area on Friday. It is just awful

Anyway, so she suggested the Flagyl I think because she is thinking that it could very well be Giardia....

Or, it could be Coccidia...at this point I have no idea, but I will know for sure tomorrow when I take her in. I just want my baby better

[bmax77]

Originally Posted by stedmansmommy

OMG you guys...I am in TEARS! I seriously don't know how much more I can take from this little girl...she has constantly got me worried SICK lately!

As most of you know, Tate has been teething over the past several weeks (remember the issue where I had to take her to the vet because she was not eating and he put her on very STRONG, concentrated pain meds). Well, over the last few weeks, she has lost a total of 3 teeth (I have FOUND 3...she may have possibly lost more, I am not sure).

Anyway, over the past few days she has been having runny poop, but I have been giving her Pedialyte and she has been for the most part, acting pretty normal. Not eating quite as much as she normally does, but everything else with her seems to be pretty much ok.

Well today, just about 20 minutes ago, I shaved her little butt down (just in the very back part) because she has been having the runny poop and I didn't want any of it to get stuck in her hair. I have been having to wipe her little butt with baby wipes because of it, so finally I decided to shave her little butt down.

Well about 15 minutes ago I saw her squatting and was watching her to make sure everything was ok...and when she got up OMG I saw nothing but this BLOODY GEL substance - NO POOP, NO NOTHING....just the bright red bloody gel!!! Then I turned around and saw ANOTHER spot where she had done the very same thing. OMG you guys, I am so freaking out. I have never seen anything like this with ANY of my babies and the fact that it is just SOLID BLOOD with no poop just has me so worried SICK.

I know this is gross but I took some pictures of both spots for you guys to see, hoping that you can all help me and maybe have an idea as to what the heck this is and why she is doing it

I gathered both samples up and put them in a little plastic baggy and wrote the date and the time on the bag of when it happened and will be taking it, as well as HER, to the vet first thing tomorrow.

I even e-mailed her breeder and sent her these pics in hopes that she can somehow help me with this...maybe she has seen this before, I don't know I am going to go do some research online right now.

I am just SO sick over this...I literally feel sick at my stomach because I do NOT know what the heck is wrong with my baby girl! Lately it just seems like one thing after another with her and I can't take it anymore

When will I EVER get to stop posting in this section????

Give her yogart and cottage cheese that will help calm her insides and also give her some nutrition as well. I would take her to the vet for sure.

[kalina82]

Brooke i know your scared and worried about Tate after all that has been going on, but its OK. it will be ok. Your breeder is right. Follow her advice. Blood in the stool is common after having lots of diarrhea. Her intestines are irritated. The bright red color is better then black or old blood.

Do not feed Tate anything for 24 hours. Her digestive systems needs a serious rest. Give her the kaoepectate like your breeder said. It will help calm her stomach. After 24 hours she should have cleared out her system. You can either stick with what your breeder said about the ground up dog food, OR you can put her on a bland diet of boiled chicken and rice.

i'm so sorry Tate is having so many problems.

Good luck at the vet tomorrow. I hope everything turns out ok.

[stedmansmommy]

Originally Posted by Sadie's Mom

Sadie did the same thing A LOT. I finally took her to a specialist & she put her on a prescription food. It did the trick, with occassional flare ups. This is treated with an antibiotic for us. I'd call your vet & see what they recommend you do.

Praying for Tatum.

Oh wouldn't that be WONDERFUL if that's all he had to do! I would be SO happy and relieved with him telling me that she just needs to be put on prescription food...but I don't know I just have a bad feeling for some reason I know she will come home on meds...I just hope that what she has isn't anything too serious

[BabyFidgette]

Originally Posted by stedmansmommy

Yeah, she mentioned the possibility of Giardia because of all the rain we have been having here lately. I mean, it has literally been raining here NON STOP and my yard has been just FLOODED. In fact, we have had so much rain that it ruined 51 homes in our downtown area and they actually declared the town that we live in a Disaster Area on Friday. It is just awful

Anyway, so she suggested the Flagyl I think because she is thinking that it could very well be Giardia....

Or, it could be Coccidia...at this point I have no idea, but I will know for sure tomorrow when I take her in. I just want my baby better

Poor baby. At first I was thinking maybe you nicked her hiney when you shaved her. But when I saw that mucous, I thought otherwise. I hope that your baby gets better ASAP b/c she is so freak'n adorable, and we just hate to see our babies sick and in pain.