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I'm hoping some of you TT doggie owners might have some advice for me. My little dog Midget, the one who was so sick a while back, is showing signs of something being wrong again. 
She is having stool accidents that are (this is gross, so hold your nose 
) horribly foul smelling and gelatinous in texture, an orangish color and often times full of grass. She is acting as if she doesn't feel very well, but no fever. The first thing she does when she goes out, especially in the morning, is eat grass like she's got a big bellyache. I took a stool sample in to the vet on monday, and they just called to say they didn't find anything with testing. They want to put her on Albon for medication and the ID dogfood of theirs. I seem to remember her doing this right before she was so ill the last time. 
I mentioned that, but no comment from the vet office? 
Maybe I need to find another vet for a second opinion?
Does anyone have any thoughts on what this might be........has anyone dealt with something like this with their dogs before?
:hug:
Tracy
PottersHouse BearsTracy,
I don't know what her illness was before, but it sounds like a problem in her digestive system. Have you tried giving her probiotics? Probiotics are the opposite of antibiotics. They restore the good enzymes, bacteria etc. to the digestive system where antibiotics destroy them. If she were mine I would start her on these. You can also get her on antioxidants to build her immune system up (vitamin C, grape seed extract, echinacea). These are all natural treatments, and they certainly are worth a try.
ToadBriarwhat sort of food does she eat? I wonder if maybe some ingredient in
her food doesn't agree with her? I am not saying "allergy" but sensitive
tummy perhaps for her brand of food?
You absolutely deserve to feel listened to & understood by your vet.
You know your little dog best - they are overlooking their most valuable
'diagnostic tool' - the owner! - if they are not taking notice of the
issues you're observing. Pets can't talk, all they can show us is behavior.
You are wise to pay attention when you see she is acting off!
There's nothing wrong with seeking a second opinion, or indeed finding
a vet who seems to LISTEN & respond to the patterns you've noticed.
Best to Midgie, I do hope she feels better soon. How is she if you feed
her something bland, like steamed white rice & plain cooked chicken?
That helps my guys feel better when their tummies need to be set right.
I don't remember what her sickness was about, can you link to the previous
story or sum up?
Love to that pup!
DoodlebearsHi Tracy I could be wrong but it sounds like poor little Midget has colitis. My dog Lucy has this and it is easy to control with her diet. Give Midget a low fat diet of chicken and rice. It is not expensive! I cook fresh chicken and add plain boiled rice (no salt) I also buy chicken and rice biscuits and give her a few of them too. If this is colitis then she is eating grass to ease tummy pain, poor darling. Try the diet for a few days and then if it doesn't work take her to see the vet. If she should seem worse before she's had time to try the diet then seek a vets help sooner.
I hope this helps and she soon feels much better.
Hugs Jane. :hug:
Back Road BearsI have two dogs who are hypersensitive to dog foods. Most often they are vomiting not having issues at the other end. The need to eat grass is a sure sign of tummy trouble. I agree with the Probiotics. I found acidophillus to work beautifully to neutralize the acids in their tummies and it reduced the need to eat grass. Our vet put my dogs on the ID food and it did help but I've got to tell you, if you read the ingredients it's full of NOTHING healthy!!! I've finally found a brand that agrees with them and it's full of human grade food, no preservatives or chemicals and they are doing so well now. Our vet also put them on Reglan for a while.. that helps with motility and seemed also help with vomiting and grass eating.
Is there anything going on in your life or her's to have her stressed out? Think about this... it could be something that you wouldn't THINK would bother her. Dogs respond to stress as people do..... upset tummies, odd behaviors, etc.
A second opinion is a marvelous idea. I don't recall what happened with your vet when she was sick before but if ever you haven't gotten the respect and answers you deserve then it's definitely time for a new vet!!!
Do something before she gets as sick as she was!!!
Back Road BearsChicken and rice.... great idea!! Of course! Be sure to OVERCOOK the rice! It's easier to digest... two vets have told me that. Then put her on the ID food for a while perhaps. If once on regular dog food again and she still has this problem then there is something more serious going on.
Thanks girls! :hug: :hug:
Last time she was so ill, she was also having pee accidents, was very depressed, and had a fairly high temp too. She was treated with anitbiotics, first a shot and tablets, then another shot in a few days when she didn't respond at first. The vet ruled out diabetes first, and then I think they decided it must be a urinary tract infection. I had told them at that time too about the nasty mucus stools, but the vet thought that was due to stress in her system from the other infection.
This time, she's just having the nasty stool problem. Although just now feeling her ears and tummy she feels a bit warm to me. Or maybe it's my imagination because I'm so worried about her. Unfortunately, the vet that treated her last time isn't here at the moment and the one who tested her stool and prescribed the Albon and ID diet is really more of a large animal vet. I feel like he's lost his touch with the smaller animals. So, I guess I don't really trust his diagnosis here. I do think I'd better find another vet office and get my little Midget in to see someone who might listen a bit better to me and is better qualified to find out what is going on.
I've been trying to research her symptoms on the net, and I did come across colitis as a possible culprit. Also found some reference to some nasty parasites that don't always test positive in stool samples.
I think what I'm going to do is 1. find another vet ASAP! , 2. try feeding her some chicken and rice, 3. find some probiotics, and 4. go hug my dog...she needs a hug and so do I :cry:!
Back Road BearsSounds like a good plan! I like #1 and #4 best!!!
Don't waste any time getting either one done!!
:hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug:
Posts: 1,836I agree that the symtoms sound a lot like colitis...and she may be over producing that "stink" in a gland back there. (that gland allows dogs to mark their territory and sometimes it over reacts, get infected or just plain old needs to be cleaned out (gross).) I have 4 pooches from 11 months to 13.
How old is Midget?? When was the last time she got sick..was it the same time last year or sooner?
I'm not sure I would give her rice just yet...it may be too rough if her insides are inflamed with a colitis type thing. Once they've calmed down I would introduce a little at a time for binding. Your vet will know best.
Poor girl, I hate when furkids get sick
~Chrissi
ebay, ctcatherwoods
coming summer2006...www.CatherWoods.com
My dogs have never had sore tums since I put them on dry working dogs chicken and rice mix.I have heard a lot of friends who have changed to this when their dogs get upset tums.
If any of my dogs seem a bit down I always give them more excercise as this cheers them up and seems to help the body sort itself out.
I would change vets as you do need to have confidence in them.
All the best for the wee lamb.I hate when pets are ill as you cannot really comfort them,too many cuddles can make them more anxious.It is a problem.
Hugs Diane xx
Newcastle, OntarioRenae,
Yes, people can take pro-biotics ie acidopholus, nutridopholus. Hubby has taken it for fifteen years, and the acidopholus helps him with his lactose problem. I've heard that in European countries, when antibiotics are prescribed, pro-biotics are taken as well, to balance the system - makes sense to me.
We were in the U.S. doing a bear show, a few years ago, and were supposed to be meeting some other artists for dessert at a local restaurant. Hubby drove all over the place, looking for a drugstore, and I couldn't figure out why it was so urgent. Weeellll, he had run out of his acidopholus and he wanted to eat chese cake for dessert and the acidopholus would allow him to do that!! Men!!!!! LOL!
hugs,
Brenda
PottersHouse BearsRenae,
Probiotics can be found at most stores, but the best ones I've found are from a health food store. They are a combination of a few different probiotics. You may have to ask for them because they are usually refrigerated. Also, check out Total Nutrition if you want to order online. Their web address is tnvitamins.com.
Baird'sBears
All great advice--the gelatinous stool suggests that her poor system is working overtime trying to digest something that doesn't agree with her.
When my dogs have had anal gland impaction, the first symptom was painful constipation, not loose stools. I couldn't hurt to check.
A regular over-the-health-store-counter fiber tablet might also help, especially if she goes on a bland smooth diet.
I hope little Midge gets better fast--keep us posted, Tracy!
Hi ladies! Midget and I have just returned....from a different vet at the same vet office. They had a great vet there today that we've seen before.......he's from another town close by and helps out at our office once in a while. I will be going over to his office from now on, I think! He's really good.....and actually listens to me! :dance:
Anyway, he checked my Midget over. No fever, so that was my imagination playing tricks on me, thank goodness. 
On palpating her little abdomen, he found she is very tender there, but he did not find any foreign object obstruction so that's good. He did say that there is something going on with the GI tract. He mentioned the possibility of either colitis or pancreatitis. Or are those the same thing?.....I don't think so, but I will be doing some research ASAP. Midget is to be on the canned ID dogfood as well as the Albon medication. He wanted to give that as well to take care of anything that might not have shown up in the tests on her stool sample. And he told me to really watch her behavior......such as suddenly not feeling the need to eat so much grass. That would be a sign we are on the right track with her treatment.
Did I mention I really like this vet!! :dance: :dance: I will have to get some probiotics for her ASAP too....or should I wait until her bowels settle down first? I'm going to start with the canned food the vet sent us home with, and then possibly the chicken and rice. Must also find a different sort of dry dog food for later on......
Chrissi--Midget is 6 this spring. She was ill with this only about 1 1/2 months ago, only it was much worse. She had the high fever with it and also pee accidents.
:hug: :hug: :hug:
Tracy
Past Time BearsGlad you got with a new vet that you like and trust, Tracy! Hope Midget gets better fast!
Laurie Lou BearsWe have an Irish Setter who is now 6 but from a pup he had a lot of stomach problems,blood in his stools and mucous too and he kept loosing weight and in the end we tried every sort of food and ended up with one particular dried food in lamb and rice.We had to carefully monitor how much he had as overfeeding can make it worse as it was tempting to give him a little bit more to try and get his weight up.We stuck with this variety and he gradually got better and he is perfectly ok now.You can also find that a lot of dogs cannot tolerate chicken and ours was no exception as if we tried to give him another flavour in this food it didn't agree with him so he ends up with the same flavour all the time but he does not seem to mind.If you try lamb for example check the labels as they could still have chicken in them even if they are lamb flavour.You might have to try different things to see what works for you or if this is any help with your problem. I hope Midget feels better soon.
Laurie :hug:
Real Deal BearsI have read this section with great interest, as my Mums little dog seems to have a simmilar problem.
Of Coarse Mum spoils her rotten, but I think she needs to go on a proper diet (the dog that is!!!).
Back Road BearsTracy,
Don't make too many diet changes! Either the ID food OR the chicken/rice but not both. Even a normally healthy dog can have an adverse reaction to all kinds of sudden diet changes.
Warning: her poop with REALLY smell and so will her breath from the ID food... especially the wet stuff....ICK!! 
My dogs send their sympathy for having to eat that stuff!
Yes, probiotics or at least acidophulis will still help tremendously. Most likely a vet would just scoff at the idea (mine did!) so if you mention this to your new vet and he does that just ignore him. Most are like medical doctors and shun the idea of natural supplements.
Keep us posted.... hourly, daily....... whenever!
Back Road BearsI have to tell you all in the US about the company I get my dog food from. It's all natural and for my hypersensitive dogs is better than any other all natural dog food I've found in the stores. My dogs are allergic to wheat, chicken, corn, salmon, liver......... and there are very few 'treats' I can give them. Charlie Bears ar the only treats that don't seem to bother them.
Anyway... the dog food company (they sell cat food too!) is: www.flintriver.com
Tucker and Riley are on the Trout and Potatoe (Fish & Chips) and it even smells yummy to me! They don't poop a ton as there isn't much waste in the food, their body absorbs so much nutrients from this food. Their skin and coats have become so healthy too! It's a tad less expensive than the prescription foods from the vet and the shipping is free and super fast. It's a great company!
Warning: her poop with REALLY smell and so will her breath from the ID food... especially the wet stuff....ICK!! My dogs send their sympathy for having to eat that stuff!
:crackup: :crackup: Sorry, Daphne, but NOTHING can smell as bad as her gelatin poops!! I swear....they smell like something DIED!! And Midget has "death breath" already. We've learned to not let her breathe on us! :crackup: She does really like the canned ID. I was surprised as it seemed very unappetizing to me. The texture is WEIRD!
Don't worry, I won't change her diet too fast. :hug: I shall take things slow for her little tummy!
Oh, and thanks for the petfoods link. I shall have to check that out! Trout and Potatoes huh? Sounds very gourmet!
:hug:
Tracy
Tracy I'm glad you found a better vet that listens. Makes a huge difference doesn't it. I hope Midget is feeling better real soon.
Jellybelly BearsTracy I hope Midget feels better soon! It is more worrying with pets I think coz they can't speak and tell us what is wrong!!
Our dog was on an allergy diet and we are just introducing new foods...he stank so bad while he ate the allergy biscuits!!! yuck!
xo Sarah
