# Help (again)! Constant diarreah



## NicoleJ (Jun 13, 2011)

*I love daisy but I am so over this. she hasn't even eaten anything today and she has diarrhea AGAIN. It happens at least 3 times a week. We talked to 2 vets. They both said she's fine. So does anyone have ANY recommendations? Please?*


I have to get dinner ready, get kids ready for tomorrow, etc. but I'll be back on later to answer any questions. she VERY VERY rarely gets any human food. she did have a 1/2 t of scrambled eggs (no butter or oil) this morning. that's it.


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## edelweiss (Apr 23, 2010)

More info would be helpful---how long has this been going on? How old is she? Does she eat dry/wet? Any other symptoms? Did she have the BAT?
It sounds like food allergy perhaps.
Does your food include any poultry?
Have you changed foods quickly?
Any info might help someone be able to help you.
When Kitzel poisoned himself the vet had me feed him 1 spoon of ID (Science Diet) every hour or two. I was skeptical but it worked for him---it would not have worked if he had a poultry allergy though.


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## Bonnie's Mommie (Mar 2, 2006)

I agree with Sandi, more information would help. I would also suggest canned pumpkin - just plain pumpkin, not the kind for pie.

When you say you've talked to two vets, have they run tests? This is not normal.

If she's not eating and having diarrhea, she runs the risk of getting dehydrated, which can happen in an instant with tiny dogs. It might be worth it to take a sample of the stool to your vet for a fecal test.


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## pammy4501 (Aug 8, 2007)

Another thing to add might be some probiotics. Lola was having diarrhea, and the vet gave me some samples of *Pet Dophilus*, and it stopped it almost right away. Now I am adding about a 1/4 tsp each morning. Seems to have done the trick.


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## Sylie (Apr 4, 2011)

Let's start with:* what are you feeding her*? Is it honest to goodness diarrhea or simply soft stools? Oh, and let's see at 3:28 PM she hadn't eaten anything yet? How often do you feed her? Was that 6:28 your time? 
She is a little dog, she needs two meals a day. Poor little Daisy.


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## NicoleJ (Jun 13, 2011)

I'm sorry for the lack of info. She is going to be 5 next week. We got her May 30 from someone who had had her since she was a puppy. They never (of course) mentioned this. She's been doing this since we got her. They told us they fed her "whatever". Since we've had her, she was on simply nourish but now she's on Natural Ultramix Grain Free Adult. 

Very rarely we'll give her a little table food, but it's always just a piece of meat or a tablespoon of ground beef in her food or something like that. Not a lot of anything, and not very often.

I want to say that yes, they did test her fecal matter last time she was there. They said she might just have a sensitive stomach. Our last dog, a maltepoo, could eat anything and never get sick, so we're in unfamiliar territory.

OF COURSE WE FEED HER Sylie, but she HATES dog food. HATES HATES HATES it. She will eat it only when she's so hungry she has no choice. We put out a 1/2 cup in the morning and then throw that out and put out a fresh 1/2 cup in the evening. She does drink water during the day. I'm home w/ her almost all day every day. 

It's diarrhea, and sometimes (but less often) soft stools. I should mention that she pooped twice this morning on our morning walks. Solid stool both times, not diarrhea or soft stool.


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## silverhaven (Sep 6, 2009)

I agree with the rest. We need more info. I will offer a few suggestions just in case though. Sounds like maybe the kibble could be at fault. When a dog has diarrhea the first thing you do is stop kibble and feed rice and plain chicken. Human food is only bad when you feed it with lots of fat and spices etc. I think a stool sample to the vet is necessary to rule out any parasites. She may be allergic to grain or something else in the kibble. There are so many ingredients that is can be hard to find exactly what the problem is. Egg is a good bland food, unless they can't tolerate it, which can happen. With kids in the house you also have to be really really cautious that Daisy isn't unadvertently getting any raisins from the cereal or something. I also agree with the probiotics, they work really well for diarrhea I have found. 

I hope poor little Daisy feels better soon.


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## Maglily (Feb 3, 2009)

this must be so frustrating since you aren't getting any direction from the vets. I really don't know enough to help but the first thing I thought of was stress from her switching homes at a older age, do you think she misses her old home? are you sure she was like this before the move? I do know that Jodi is stressed if he is eating in a busy or noisy area, he will be startled easily, leave his food and not go back until it's quiet. he will also like dry kibble with a little warm water on it, just to switch it up and I think it makes it more appeptizing. like I said it's just some ideas that came to mind, but I hope you can get some more specific dietary advice and that she is doing better soon.


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## silverhaven (Sep 6, 2009)

Thanks for the extra info. I looked up the Ultramix as I hadn't heard of it. They also do one that is poultry free, which can cause problems for some dogs. Maybe Daisy would do better on a mix like Dr Harvey's where you just add meat and oil to the veggies. Or a dehydrated food that you just add water to the raw ingredients. Sounds like she isn't fond of kibble, or that particular one and is eating a lot at one go to just get rid of her hunger. That could upset her system. The probiotics with digestive enzymes could help a lot too.


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## Bonnie's Mommie (Mar 2, 2006)

NicoleJ said:


> I'm sorry for the lack of info. She is going to be 5 next week. We got her May 30 from someone who had had her since she was a puppy. They never (of course) mentioned this. She's been doing this since we got her. They told us they fed her "whatever". Since we've had her, she was on simply nourish but now she's on Natural Ultramix Grain Free Adult.
> 
> Very rarely we'll give her a little table food, but it's always just a piece of meat or a tablespoon of ground beef in her food or something like that. Not a lot of anything, and not very often.
> 
> ...


Good that you've had her stool checked. That at least would rule some things out. 

It might be time to start trying new foods. Do you know what her previous owner fed her? (Oh, never mind, just read your answer, lol) There are some high quality grain free foods, as well as a good amount of chicken free - as chicken is a common allergy for dogs. There are a lot of posts about food on this forum if you do a search, including some that can tell you what ingredients to look for as well as those to avoid. Everyone (most everyone) has different ideas of what is best, because what works best for one doesn't always work best for another.

I'm glad that she had good poops this morning. But, I'm wondering about two at the same walk. (now for some poop talk) Were they both big poops? That would be a little unusual, and maybe something to watch.

You might also try keeping a little journal of her eating habits and when the diarrhea starts. (I see that you have little kids, so what's one more chore?:HistericalSmiley That might help you determine if there's a pattern.

Good luck and keep us posted.


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## Sylie (Apr 4, 2011)

Oh my this is hard. I didn't mean to insult you, but you gave us little info and we don't know you. All I had to go on was that it was late in the day and she had not eaten. How is her weight? Normal, thin, plump? The only dog I knew well who didn't eat his food was overfed and when he didn't eat he got people food. You aren't doing that, so I am at a loss. 

If the vet said there is no problem, then it must be the food. This is hard because any fast change will result in soft stools. I haven't heard of the food you are giving him either. Does it smell pretty good to you? Call me nutso, but I taste the food before I give it to my dogs...it better taste wholesome and fresh. Maybe you could get some samples and give him small bites to see if he likes any of it.

Woops...sorry for referring to Daisy as he...she she she/


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## Bailey&Me (Mar 8, 2010)

As others have recommended, I would also suggest changing up her food to see if the diarrhea goes away. Have you ever tried canned food with her? That would be a lot more gentle on her system and she may be more tempted to eat it. When my Bailey was having some tummy issues, I was encouraged to put him on a limited ingredient canned food diet for a few months - that worked really well for him. I used Addiction Duck and Sweet Potato canned food. Bailey loved it and did well on it. I kept him on it for about 6 months and then slowly transitioned him to a dehydrated raw food which he is on now.


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## Sylie (Apr 4, 2011)

Oh, one more thing. I had a friend who had a greyhound with a very sensitive stomach. When she was hungry she didn't want to eat (I can identify, because I don't want to eat when I am hungry either...I get kind of nauseated.) So, my friend would hand feed her small pieces of food until her appetite kicked in. Not saying for sure, but it is a possibility. She did feed her kibble, but she put water on it and warmed it up to increase the fragrance. She also gave her a little cottage cheese or yogurt with her food. This wasn't just any old body...this was a very smart, very dog savvy woman.


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## almitra (Apr 24, 2009)

Sorry, no welath of information here on this subject, but I wanted to send ((hugs)) to you and your little baby girl fluff...I hope the vets figure out what's upsetting her tiny tummy real soon. You are getting lotsa good advice here, so hopefully something will work very soon.


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## Summergirl73 (Sep 18, 2011)

One thought that might help is what we call in healthcare "transfer trauma". It's basically when a person (or in this case a Malt) moves to a new location. It's not uncommon to see senior people pass away suddenly because they have a hard time adjusting. With that in mind, our little Bella (12 week old Malt) didn't eat hardly a thing and the vet was stumped. You may want to try feeding your fluff a bit of yogurt ~ this can help the tummy adjust and helps prevent hypoglycemia etc. I feed Bella a teaspoon or so of Chobani Greek Vanilla yogurt (higher in protein, lower in sugar). I'd suggest starting slowly so as not to upset the belly even more. The other thing that makes a HUGE difference is a stable schedule. The pups need to quickly figure out a normal routine so they know where they fit in your household. This can help stimulate the appetite and soothe the nerves. You may also want to try a hot water bottle (avoid something it can chew apart) in her bed with her ~ adds comfort and calms their little spirits. Hope this helps.


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## NicoleJ (Jun 13, 2011)

OMG, I'm so sorry for not answering. For some reason I didn't get any emails saying that you guys had responded and I was just waiting. I finally just came over tonight to see if anyone had responded. Thank you all. I think I'll order that Zeal food from the honest kitchen and see if that helps. I did try putting cottage cheese with her food, but after a day or two, she refused to eat it.  she will eat the cheapo food, but I think of that as junk food for dogs, so won't buy it. she won't eat canned food. She will eat her food if she has cooked ground beef stirred into it, or a little bit of gravy from something I've cooked. 
I just feel dumb here.


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## theboyz (Jan 10, 2007)

Nicole, Chase has colitis and had diarrhea all the time. Our Vet put him on Prescription Diet z/d, canned and dry. He can not eat anything else, nothing ever but this. He is healthy and happy and may on occasion have a loose stool but never diarrhea. He never, never gets even a tiny taste of people food and that is so important to remember. Our Vet said the z/d is very healthy and so Ozzy is on that diet also but on occasion I slip him a bite of something special, but I don't let Chase see what I am doing. Both our boys are healthy and happy.
If your Vet lets you try this it is important to remember....nothing but the z/d ever. For treats we give them a dry z/d kibble.
Marsha


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## Rocky's Mom (Apr 10, 2010)

I'm no expert, so don't hold me to this. But I just put Rocky on Stella and Chewy's beef dinner and he was the worst eater of dog food. Skipped meals all the time and ate very little of it. I was worried sick. I put him on the Stella and Chewy's last Sunday and he's been eating twice a day every single day. The one thing I noticed though, is his stools are very small and firmer. Maybe that would help? Just a suggestion.



NicoleJ said:


> I'm sorry for the lack of info. She is going to be 5 next week. We got her May 30 from someone who had had her since she was a puppy. They never (of course) mentioned this. She's been doing this since we got her. They told us they fed her "whatever". Since we've had her, she was on simply nourish but now she's on Natural Ultramix Grain Free Adult.
> 
> Very rarely we'll give her a little table food, but it's always just a piece of meat or a tablespoon of ground beef in her food or something like that. Not a lot of anything, and not very often.
> 
> ...


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## Bonnie's Mommie (Mar 2, 2006)

Rocky's Mom said:


> I'm no expert, so don't hold me to this. But I just put Rocky on Stella and Chewy's beef dinner and he was the worst eater of dog food. Skipped meals all the time and ate very little of it. I was worried sick. I put him on the Stella and Chewy's last Sunday and he's been eating twice a day every single day. The one thing I noticed though, is his stools are very small and firmer. Maybe that would help? Just a suggestion.


Bonnie is also on S&C and rarely, if ever, has diarrhea. Her poop is fairly small most of the time, and always firm.


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## SpringHasSprung (May 4, 2007)

I would also highly recommend Stella & Chewy's...freeze-dried specifically. I break apart the patties and it's out all day every day. They are free-grazers and don't eat at any specific time. It works out beautifully for us.


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## NicoleJ (Jun 13, 2011)

hi all. We had a BAD episode Saturday night. throwing up and diarrhea all night. Took her to the vet on Sunday and she thinks it may be food allergies. Daisy is now on z/d food like theboyz. Nothing but that for the next 3 months. So far she kind of likes it, we'll see. The vet said even if she only eats once or twice a week, at least she'll eat and she's not going to let herself starve. Hoping this works!!


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## Rocky's Mom (Apr 10, 2010)

Only once or twice a week is ok? Sorry, don't know what z/d food is...but I sure hope and pray you get a second opinion.


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## silverhaven (Sep 6, 2009)

Mmm. not liking the sound of this too much. Z/D I presume is the vet Hills limited ingredient kibble. IMO there are much better limited ingredient foods out there. Eating possibly only once or twice a week...... could go downhill very fast. Sorry I would see another vet. But what do I know? :blink:


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## Bonnie's Mommie (Mar 2, 2006)

Yeah, I'm not liking that once or twice a week comment, either. Do you know this vet? Do you have a history with them? If it were me, I think a second opinion would be in order.


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## theboyz (Jan 10, 2007)

Maureen, z/d saved Chase's life. It is a very healthy diet and Ozzy has been on it also. That is all they eat and get a "star" each time they have their physical. They eat 1/4 a cup of dry mixed with some of the wet 2 times a day. Their treats are just the dry kibble and they get those all during the day.
Nicole, if you mean eat only z/d once or twice a week then you are defeating the whole purpose. All dogs must eat everyday and Daisy should see another Vet if your Vet said she can just eat once or twice a week, does not make sense. Try the z/d and ONLY that for a few weeks. 2 meals a day. Good luck.





silverhaven said:


> Mmm. not liking the sound of this too much. Z/D I presume is the vet Hills limited ingredient kibble. IMO there are much better limited ingredient foods out there. Eating possibly only once or twice a week...... could go downhill very fast. Sorry I would see another vet. But what do I know? :blink:


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## NicoleJ (Jun 13, 2011)

sorry, I have the flu. what I mean is that she's only on z/d food and treats for the next 3 months. that's it. she said that about Daisy eating once or twice a week b/c Daisy HATES dog food and will go on food strikes to try and force us to feed her human food or fattening treats. So the vet meant that she won't let herself starve, and to not give in to her.
so sorry. bad case of the flu.


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## Bonnie's Mommie (Mar 2, 2006)

Hope you feel better soon, Nicole. And, hope that Daisy starts to behave herself and eat regularly!


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## aprilb (Jul 9, 2010)

I can relate to your frustration concerning poor Daisy. My Lily has been having problems with weight loss and chronic diarrhea for months. My vet seemed at a loss as to what to do for her, and she was getting worse, so after 10 years with the same vet, I got a new one who is an internist and I'm so glad I did! Have any tests been run on Daisy? Even if it is a food allergy, her system may be so out of whack, she may need antibiotics to calm things down. If Daisy were mine, I would get a complete blood/chem panel, and have her checked for parasites. If this has been going on awhile, I would want to rule out any other causes for the chronic diarrhea. Good luck and keep us posted.


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## NicoleJ (Jun 13, 2011)

hi April. she did do all kinds of tests. she's on antibiotics and pepcid for 3 days. getting her to take them without a yummy treat is not fun. No parasites.


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