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

[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????

[marcerella02]

i'm so sorry poor Tatum is having a hard time.. been ther iwth Layla.. the first eyar of her life we were at the vet every week or two... the blood is normal when they have dirrhea.. their intestines are upset and irritated so they bleed.. Layla did the same thing... are you feeding her boiled chicken an rice??? i'd be doing that.. very bland... easy on the tummy and she'll eat it up because it is new and tastes yummy!! i found with Layla she would poop ALL day and then the diarrhea would really stop at night and she would get the sleep she needed... i hope miss tater feels better... let us know what the vet sayss.. Lay was put on meds and they REALLY helped! sending you both BIG HUGS

[Holly_QD]

OMG Brooke. I would get her to the emergency. I think I would just about pass out if I saw that. I almost did when Holly went into heat. That can't be good. I don't mean to panick you further Brooke, but it does seem like a cause for concern.

[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.

[Rusty's Momma]

I am not sure. Do you think she ate something while you werent looking that she shouldnt have eaten and maybe it is "tearing" her stomach up?
I don't know but hope she gets over whatever it is VERY VERY soon.
Get better baby Tatum !!

I alos agree with Breny... when Sophie had Coccidia she had bloody stools.

[marcerella02]

me again the reason that only blood is coming out is because she has pooped everything else out and her intestines are still upset from whatever started this whole thing... and all she can get out is the blood that is coming from her intestintes.. again... relitively normal with diarrhea but i'd definitly say to go to the vet tomorrow.... poor girl doens't need to suffer any longer

[stedmansmommy]

Ok guys, I am going to read all of your replies in just a little while, but I wanted to post this real quick. I just got a reply from Tate's breeder and this is what she said:



ok...it's ok brooke....just calm down sweetie....here is what i want you to do ok?....bright red says is not old blood....most likely with the straining of her diarhea due to the food changes she has an irritated bowel now. so go get some kaeopectate...give her a tablespoonful. then give her only sugar water tonight. mix about 1 tablespoonful to a cup. no food. she will be fine. then once the diarhea is stopped....mix her up some ground dry dog food with a tiny bit of chicken baby food. cottage cheese will give diarhea if too much. then wait and see how stools are. if she has another loose stool...give 1 tablespoonful of kaoepectate again. will coat her tummy and colon. i will check emails during the night if you need me. might alos give her nutracal about a toothbrush full every 4 hours. as old as she is will be fine. let me know whats going on....anne




Then this is what she sent me right after that in a second e-mail.....



brooke, also with the runny stools..the softer stools if i were you i would ask you vet to give her some flagyl...for 7 days. giardia is in 70 percent of dogs and with all the rain we have had..the run offs in texas....a person could walk thru a puddle a wet spot pick up a spore and track into our homes and our dogs get giarida...and also when they play outside they can drink from a small puddle without you knowing and get it..or can get it on their feet and lick it off. is in peoples water supply..we get it also. will cause diarhea and sometimes vomiting in dogs.
the tummy feels full as is gasy.....but right now the kaepectate will be fine.....keep me update ok? and i am here if you need me....either by phone or email but will be checking my email all through the night to see if i hear from you....give tatum a big hug and kiss for me and please keep me updated....anne

[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.

[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.......

[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.

[Tina_Luvs_Missy]

It can be caused by many things, so the Vet would be the only man/woman to determine what exactly is wrong. Hope she is fine, that is definitely scary! *Sending out Prayers*

[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

[Luckyone]

Bella's looked like that when she had giardia.


we'll be thinking of her and hope she feels better

[stedmansmommy]

Originally Posted by Holly_QD

OMG Brooke. I would get her to the emergency. I think I would just about pass out if I saw that. I almost did when Holly went into heat. That can't be good. I don't mean to panick you further Brooke, but it does seem like a cause for concern.

Hey girl, thanks so much...I really am scared to death However, after talking with my breeder, I do feel a little better at least. I will most DEFINITELY be taking her to the vet and am going to ask him to test her stool sample to see what is going on. Hopefully something will show I will keep you updated!

[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.