Need Opinions on Food Brands

[LGMartini]

Thanks Everyone !!! Maybe I am feeding her too much. I feed her twice a day. 1/8 cup of Blue ..Life Protection formula and 2 tsps WEllness puppy canned food. Then I add Home boiled chicken or chopped meat. she gets this 3 times a day at 9 mos. old. How much are you all feeding your Yorkies and how many times a day. She weighs 4 1/2 lbs and is VERY thin. But while she has this chronic diarhhea, she cant seem to keep the weight on..

[Lacy's Mom]

Have you had stool tests for worms, coccidia, and giardia? I think I would want to try a round of antibiotics since the diarrhea has been long term with weight loss. I would feed only dry but it doesnt sound like you are doing very much canned to hurt but wellness is very rich. Whatever you feed be consistent not different meats everyday and never any lunchmeats.

[ironmike86]

I agree is you haven't done it. Have a stool sample for worms. Feed till they are not thin but still have a waist and you can still feel some bone on the ribs. A little thicker isn't bad but not so much that they are to heavy and it causes there problems. Search for a dog food calculator for a gauge for feedings.

[LGMartini]

Thank youl.. And I see above that I said I feed her twice a dayl. .. she actually eats 3 times a day. Thanks for all of the input...

[LGMartini]

And yes...we have already tested her stool and it shows nothing. Thats why he started her on the 10 days of Flagyl to control the diarhhea. I wish I could find a diet that works for her. Some people say no canned food, some say no home cooked... its all confusing.

[LGMartini]

Thanks Laceys mom..... I WAS switching her home cooked meat everyday... between chopped meat, salmon, chicken, beef. I have since cut down to just chopped meat or chicken. But shouldnt I be cutting out some of her "dog food " diet if I'm feeding home cooked?

[Lacy's Mom]

Assuming she is about 4 1/2 pounds I would think 1/2 cup daily total (all additives included would be about right). Don't think it matters if you feed two meals a day or three meals, just divide equally. Just add a little chicken - white meat. no skin (dark meat and skin has too much fat), and skip the wellness canned and other meats at least until you get this under control. Flagyl was probably prescribed just in case of giardia since it is hard to test for, but worms or coccidia show up on fecal tests.

If this doesn't help after a week or two, then you need to talk to vet about withholding food for 24 hours to give the stomach a rest and maybe getting another round of antibiotics or a injection. I recently took mine to the vet and she got an injection to clear up very frequent watery diarrhea that was caused by me giving her a small piece of steak that was a little past expiration apparently. One injection and she cleared up immediately and it was pretty bad. I am on vacation right now so can't look at the bill to see what it was.

Another question, actual diarrhea is defined by frequency not consistency - are bowel movements frequent or just very loose when they occur?

[LGMartini]

yes.she is 4.5 lbs. Her diarhhea was watery, black and some blood and she was going 8 to 10 times a day. The flagly has gotten her to about 3 or 4 a day so far and its a much more formed diarhhea. I think I will discontinue the wellness and see if that helps her along. I have another 6 days on the flagyl. The probiotics are another 3 weeks..... Thanks so much for all of your input

[ironmike86]

IME home cooking properly is better. Just need to pin point the diarrhea before home cooking...Sometimes changing gives it to them. But it may not be any worst if you try now.