Since I've brought my 8 month old lab pup home he's had chronic digestive issues. The minute I think he's stable he relapses and his stools become loose all over again. He's been screened for everything from EPI to Addisons and fortunately all's come back fine except for a B12 deficiency. He's currently (on Vet's direction) getting probiotics, pumpkin powder, psyllium, and B12 supplement. When he has a relapse he goes on Hills ID Digestive and metronidazole and then gets weaned off very slowly. All seems fine and then like clock work about 5 days after we end meds he gets sick again. I'm feeding Purina Pro Plan large breed puppy. I'm at a complete loss and frankly, I think my vet is beginning to feel the same way. I would so so appreciate input from someone here who's experienced something like this or had advice.
I am not saying that it would work for you, but I struggled for ages with one of my boys. Everyone said to try raw but I was convinced that if anything was going to upset his dodgy tummy, it would be raw meat! Anyway, after trying all sorts of sensitive, 'hypoallergenic', wheat free etc diets for months and months, I gave in a tried raw. Within 2/3 days his tummy was settled and he only ever had one upset tummy in the 7 years since (after eating a human poo!!!!!!).
Okay, I promise not to ask about the human poo. For the raw diet-what do you feed? I'm ready to try anything!!
I know! We think it was a taxi driver who popped behind a bridge on the canal. Bluuurgh! We started with minced tripe (bluuurgh again!) and now feed all sorts of minced raw meats, rice, pasta, veggies, fruits etc. We use Durham Animal Feeds for the minces. It is cheap and free delivery. The are more expensive completes available (Nurtiment is really good), but make sure they don't contain any nasty preservatives etc.
Hi has your vet tested for allergies? I had a lab with tummy issues and she was allergic to a few things. Also compylobacter infection?
I would also recommend a raw diet. I would highly recommend beginning with a complete raw - so one which has been mixed to contain everything the dog needs, rather than one you put together yourself. (So you know it is balanced.) But if it continues even on a raw diet, there may be an intolerance to a particular protein or ingredient, so you might need to restrict the ingredients and just give one protein - and try an elimination diet. You might want to have a read of this: https://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2016/08/21/leaky-gut-syndrome-in-pets.aspx I had a Weimaraner who, periodically throughout her life, had episodes of runny bloody poops - always fixed by metronidazole. I lose track of the rounds of metronidazole she had, but it was at least one a year and as she got older, we seemed to need more of it. One theory is that it was recurrent/encysted giardia. But I also did many things wrong (in my ignorance when she was a pup She received her first vaccine at 7 weeks and her 2nd at 10 weeks, then a rabies vaccination at 12 weeks - this was way too many vaccines, too early. I would now give first vaccination at 9 weeks, and I would not give a rabies vaccination until I needed to go abroad (since I'm in the UK and don't need to) - if I did have to give one, I would ensure it was much further away from the initial course of vaccines. When she first got ill with runny poops (she was about 12 weeks, I think), she was then put on a course of Synulox - which didn't work. I think a second course was then prescribed - which again didn't work. Then she was given metronidazole. Which did work. But she should have had a stool sample run on that first runny poop before just 'guessing' which ABs to use so we could have used metronidazole in the first place and not also given her two rounds of Synulox. The microbiome is very immature and not well-established in a pup that young, and I nuked it with 3 rounds of ABs. She was also wormed on schedule during this time - more onslaught... In short, it's not surprising that she ended up with a dodgy gut throughout her life... Take a look on Amazon and buy the book called 'I contain multitudes' by Ed Yong - it's about the human microbiome but I think it's safe to extrapolate some things to dogs. I think it's important to see things as a whole system and not just treat isolated symptoms as so often happens. If you can find a holistic vet near where you live, it might be worth a visit... https://www.ahvma.org/find-a-holistic-veterinarian/
Has he had an endoscopy or colonoscopy with biopsies taken? A low B12 is very common in dogs with inflammatory bowel disease. My eldest lab has suffered with IBD for several years, he is kept stable on Royal Canin Hypoallergenic DR21 which contains only hydrolized protein and no meat. It's all he eats, no extras, no leftovers, no treats, we have to be very strict or else he's back at the vets. I think Pro plan and Hills do their own versions too. I hope you find some answers soon. Good luck.
I agree with the idea of biopsies - that was said to be the next step with our dog, except she was elderly by the time a vet suggested that and we opted not to put her through it. But IBD itself is also caused by something... I would highly recommend learning about the microbiome, the immune system, and how the gut functions when it comes to immunity... Dr Karen Becker posts lots of free clips on Facebook and runs a FB group with Rodney Habib. As well as the Ed Yong book above, there is also 'The Psychobiotic Revolution' - which is about the gut function and depression/anxiety (there is starting to be some research into canine reactivity and diet/gut health).
