Diarrhea and Vomiting...

[erindan311]

Tyson is 8 months and has been vomiting sporadically for a couple of weeks now. And he's also been somewhat lethargic, not immobile but very calm and sleeps alot. However, when Dan and I got home from work last Friday he had vomited and had diarrhea all over his crate. As soon as we let him outside he vomited and went again! So we made a vet appointment that night. And this went on for the rest of the night. The vet seems to think he caught a bug from another dog. He has been around 4 other dogs in the past three weeks, but none of them have been sick or are sick now. I've been feeding him the boiled hamburger and rice and giving him his meds twice a day and he seems to be feeling better, but I was just wondering if these are common symptoms of something other than a virus. And also, the vet had me refrain from feeding him for almost 36 hours, and now he just sits in the kitchen and whines everytime I'm in there cooking. It doesn't matter whether he's just eaten or not. Should I let him eat until he's finished, so that he feels full? Or should I continue feeding him limited quantities? And how long should I keep up the boiled hamburger and rice diet? I've been doing it since late Saturday afternoon.

Thanks in advance or all of your help. It's greatly appreciated...

 

[Aimee]

If this has been going on for a few weeks I would be apt to think it is more than a bug. The lethargy could be attributed to anemia or dehydration. Did your vet do any tests at all? I notice you say he is on meds do you know what they are and what they were prescribed to treat?

As far as fasting for 36 hours, this is to give the body a rest and allow the organs to flush out the buildup of toxins in them. I have used this method before and it was very beneficial. Now you want to work back into the food slowly. I would only allow very small frequent meals..any large meals after a fast would probably induce vomiting and/or diarrhea. As far as the hamburger and rice, I've only used it a few times and I've only had to use it one time each. I hope this is of some help and I hope Tyson is feeling better soon.

 

[erindan311]

Okay...so I'm going to stop the hamburger and rice diet, but refrain from feeding him the regular amount of puppy food. Right???

I can't remember what the meds are, I know one is for nausea. One is Flagyl, I think??? One of the pills is only like 2mg, really tiny and blueish green. The other pill is large, white, shaped like a capsul, but is not a capsul. The bottles are at home. He's been taking them fine. I haven't seen him have a bowel movement yet though...of course, he could've also done it out of sight. It's impossible to see him sometimes when he's outside behind the garage.

He seems to be feeling much better, I just don't want to rush his healing process. Although I do feel horrible for the little guy when he's crying for food. I am feeding him 2 cups of hamburger and 2 cups of rice total a day. Is that too much??? He's 55 lbs., I was feeding him anywhere between 5 and 6 cups of puppy chow a day, but the vet told me that was way too much. He told me to go down to 4 cups. So I figured that was all I should give him in the form of hamburger and rice also.
I just don't want to make him weaker by not feeding him the right amount!!

Thanks again for your time!!

 

[Aimee]

The flagyl should have gotten rid of the diarrhea by now. Flagyl is excellent for curing it If he is no longer vomiting or having diarrhea I would put him back on his regular diet although I personally would recommend a higher quality kibble other than puppy chow. (If that is the brand you are using and not just a terminology ) He may be acting hungry because he isn't getting the nutrients needed even at 5-6 cups a day so his intake and your back yard clean up are more. I feed Innova which is a human grade kibble. There are many others out there as well you may want to research. I feed my 78lb male 3 1/2 cups a day and my 55lb female 2 1/2 cups a day. They do wonderful on it. Just a suggestion

My opinion is that if he is no longer vomiting and/or having diarrhea you can put him back on his regular chow and I would give the regular amounts but I too feel 5-6 cups is WAY too much. In my previous post I thought you were just finishing the fast.

 

[erindan311]

I am speaking of Purina Puppy Chow for Large Breeds...I also mix in cottage cheese...I guess that's not a good choice of food??? I have never heard of the brand you specified. We have Petsmarts and Petco's here...which carry Iams, Eukanuba, and Science Diet. I know that they carry more brands than that...which is the best? I just want my little pumpkin to be healthy! However, I am on a budget. Especially since the last Vet visit was $175. (unexpectedly) I did purchase a pet insurance plan though. Anyway...let me know the brand and amount you feel is appropriate for my pup...

Thanks again...
lovicon Erin & Tyson lovicon

 

[Aimee]

Here is the website for Innova

http://www.naturapet.com/display.asp?sc=0-0&pref=DESC&un=565302

You can compare food ingredients in different dog foods, they will give you a recommendation of how much to feed and you can find a dealer near you that sells it. It runs about 31.95 - 35.95 for a 33lb bag. However you will feed much less and in actuality it doesn't end up costing near as much more as the initial sticker shock says. I bought a 33lb bag of Innova and am feeding two adults off of it and have had it a little over a month now and I about to need more.

And here is the listing of the Whole Dog Journal Top Ten Dry foods.

http://members.home.net/mstraus/barfref.html#TopDry

Good luck and keep us posted!!

 

[reneekathryn]

innova

When we first got our pup i read all I could on foods. The breeder had been feeding puppy chow. I liked feedback I was getting on the innova brand. Someone sent me their web page and I tried to find a dealer in my area as we also have only petsmarts. No luck, I am about an hour south of Atlanta and at this time Atlanta and above only have it. There is a small pet store nearby though (who does not carry it) maybe I could get them to order it...? Any information? Renee and Gracie

 

[peblz200]

I feed maxi Nutro large puppy breed it has no by-products and he loves it he eats around 3-4 cups a day and really absorbs the nutrients from the food. So I cant complain at all at least the back yard isnt THAT bad!!! Nutro is about 33.00 for a 40lb bag its well worth it if you ask me. Good luck with your choice.

 

[reneekathryn]

peblz on Nutro

Thanks for the recommendation. I tried to look at ingredients while at pet smart. too many choices and I really wasn't sure what to look for. I had read one of Julies posts on the first ingredients being grain on a lot of products and that this was some thing to avoid. It seemed like every thing I looked at started with grains! I'll look at Nutro next time I'm shooping for the girl. thanks again

 

[erindan311]

Nutro

I bought some Nutro last night...only $27.99 for a 40 lb. bag around here!! Of course I am in the Midwest...I've noticed that everything seems to be a little bit cheaper where I live...comparitively. Anyway, I bought the kind for large breed adults. I checked with my Vet and he said that any dog he's seen on that diet has looked great and that he has only heard good things about it. We are mixing it with the puppy chow for now so his stomache doesn't get upset. It definately has a strong smell. He also said it was best to start changing his diet while he is on his meds. By the way the meds are Flagyl and Reglan. He has not had any more bouts with diarrhea or vomiting since being on the meds...whoo hoo!! I am also wondering if it will be okay to still mix in cottage cheese? He just loves it. Anyway...thank you to everyone for your advice...