Probiotics/bright orange diarrhoea/losing the plot..

Please could anyone recommend the best and most natural probiotic or anything else or just advice re poor Vespa's bright orange diarrhoea? I am totally losing it as nothing I try seems to work and the pills dim the vet only helped as long as Vespa took them and I can't work out any rhyme or reason to what is going on and nor, it would seem, can the vet. I'm a bit desperate here so any advice however basic/exotic would be welcome. I feel quite helpless.
Things I've tried:
Starving for 24 hours
Chicken (cooked) and rice
Tiny portions
Various things to keep her drinking (she's not dehydrated thank goodness. She's happy enough and still lively etc although possibly not quite as manic as normal. )
Antibiotics
Anti inflammatories
Um..can't remember what else.
Help!!
Thanks a million. Poor dog. :-/

 

Re: Probiotics/bright orange diarrhoea/losing the plot..

Ps she normally eats raw food but hasn't had it since she's been ill other than once when I thought she was ok and tried chicken wings. She normally has no problems whatsoever and has been eating raw v happily for nearly 3 years. Vet not keen.
Thanks for any advice whatsoever.

 

Re: Probiotics/bright orange diarrhoea/losing the plot..

I use a teaspoon on natural yoghurt mixed in with a bit of rice when Harley has a poorly tummy???

 

Re: Probiotics/bright orange diarrhoea/losing the plot..

What are you feeding her at the moment?

 

Re: Probiotics/bright orange diarrhoea/losing the plot..

Oh Rosamund....I'm sorry ,you sound understandably fraught.....
I went through a lot of upset tummy episodes when Dexter first came to us at 5 months,it probably took me 2 months to stabilize him but even when he was suffering from Giardia ( I guess Vespa has been tested for that? And anyway the symptoms are greenish bowel movements) Dex is kibble fed ,so a gastro diet and strictly no additions sorted it out...but you've done everything I did when we were having an 'episode'...
I've heard members mention a 'wet' food ...I guess tinned food(? ) That their vet suggests when they are upset .....I don't know anymore than that though so let's see if any other answers can give you any more info.
I've been prescribed prokolin and I know a few other members have used it too.
Your vet sounds a bit dismissive of your choice of feeding .....

 

Re: Probiotics/bright orange diarrhoea/losing the plot..

Pro kolin is anti diarrhea paste with pro and pre biotic in but I don't think it's a good idea to use for longer than a few days.

Protexin bio premium is a pro and per biotic with soma kaolin in it and can be given daily as a supplement.

I use lintbells yumpro bio active pro and pre biotic tablets.

Has your vet sent a sample away to be tested. If not get a sample when it's at it's worse and ask for it to be tested. At least then all bugs etc can be ruled out. Although you vet probably all ready has done this.

I'm suggesting it because my dogs had campylobacter which doesn't respond to a normal course of antibiotics it needs three weeks not the usual 5/7 days.

Good luck I hate it when they have upset stomachs. :-\

 

Re: Probiotics/bright orange diarrhoea/losing the plot..

When they get runny tums I starve for a meal, two if I think it's a bug.

Then scrambled egg with pro-fibre for a meal

Then a smaller normal meal with pro-fibre

Then, if poos are improving, normal meals with pro-fibre for a few days

I never give yoghurt as a lot of dogs don't digest dairy very well.

Some dogs benefit from a small sprinkle of pro-fibre every meal, my Callum did as he had some anal gland trouble.

I have had dogs all my life and highly recommend the stuff I should get commission!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00BEXP5MA/ref=sr_ph?ie=UTF8&qid=1412094379&sr=1&keywords=pro+fibre+for+dogs

Gypsy is allergic to many things and can only have her kibble and dried sprats - all other foods and treats give her a runny tum, but her food was sorted before she came to me so I'm not sure how they settled on which one was best.

 

Re: Probiotics/bright orange diarrhoea/losing the plot..

Is the diarrhoea always liquid or gloopy with mucus/jelly ?

Liquid is usually an irritation in the small intestine gloopy with mucus/jelly in it is usually an irritation to the large intestine and could be colitis.

Colitis is a bit like irritable bowel in humans. It can be caused by a bug, something they shouldn't have eaten, a food intolerance (my dog couldn't eat beef or even chicken eventually) or stress.

You could try a veterinary diet for sensitive stomachs. I used royal canin sensitivity control, you can get dry or wet, and a pro/pre biotic supplement. My dog had colitis regularly upto the age of 11 when the vet suggested the diet and supplements. He never had it again and lived to 15.

If you try this diet and it works you can reintroduce her normal diet once everything has settled down.

I would make sure a bug has been completely ruled out first though.

 

Re: Probiotics/bright orange diarrhoea/losing the plot..

Has she been tested for giardia?

 

Re: Probiotics/bright orange diarrhoea/losing the plot..

My dog had an 'overgrowth of bacteria in the lower bowel' and had diarrhoea until one vet finally diagnosed this, he was on a long course of antibiotics, several weeks I seem to remember. There are so many things that could cause Vespa's problem, but there are a few on here you could suggest to your vet.

 

Re: Probiotics/bright orange diarrhoea/losing the plot..

Has she had any faecal testing done? This would be my next stop if not. You can give all the probiotics in the world but if she's got giardia or campylobacter etc it's not going to help.

I can second the vote for protexin though, we used it a lot in the kennels I worked in and it was brilliant. You can also buy pro-kolin or canikur (pretty much the same stuff I think but canikur comes in tablets too) on the internet if you think you need it but it's not meant to be given long term.

 

Re: Probiotics/bright orange diarrhoea/losing the plot..

Wow-thanks so much for all the suggestions. I'm going to write them all down now.
Re testing-no she hasn't been tested. I took in a sample for her first vet visit and they just chucked it in the bin and prescribed antibiotics and anti inflammatories. She was a little better while she had them ie soft rather than runny but then was bad again a day later.. It is bright bright orange which I read was bile maybe or the food going through too quickly. Should I go back with another sample and insist they test it? Shod I ask for specific tests for the two things mentioned here?
Current she's having tiny portions of cooked chicken breast and has had some rice but I don't want to 'mask' a more serious problem. I haven't given her yoghurt because she couldn't tolerate even tiny amounts of cheese when she was a puppy. I just want her to feel better and (selfishly) to sleep through the night. Last night I don't think I even opened my eyes when I took her out (4am)
Tired!
Thank you so much for the very helpful suggestions.
Lots to investigate but perhaps getting a sample tested should be the first step..?
Thanks.

 

Re: Probiotics/bright orange diarrhoea/losing the plot..

Absolutely! Get tested for everything that's likely.

Maybe think about changing vet too!

 

Re: Probiotics/bright orange diarrhoea/losing the plot..

Yes that had crossed my mind..(changing vet)
Right. Thanks!

 

Re: Probiotics/bright orange diarrhoea/losing the plot..

Ps just read the Giardia article in here and it does seem a strong possibility from her symptoms. I suppose her regular worming treatment doesn't prevent it? I use Advocate which has imidacloprid and moxidectin in. (??) It says you can get it from contaminated water. She does swim in the river a lot. ??

 

Re: Probiotics/bright orange diarrhoea/losing the plot..

Wow, what an ordeal! For you both! Do insist that the vet test the stool sample for giardia and campylobacter, as well as the more common parasites. Sometimes it's difficult to be as assertive as need be, but your dog depends on you. I used to have a Husky mix who used to pick up giardia nearly every time he swam in the Mississippi - it got so my vet allowed me to keep a supply on hand.

If the vet is still reluctant to try everything, I'd look for another vet, too.

When I was having simliar trouble with Daisy when she was 8-12 weeks old, all stool exams came back negative. One course of treatment for giardia helped a little, but when the meds were done, the runny, icky stools returned. In desperation, I finally dewormed her with fenbendazole (available online as SafeGuard), which finally did the trick. No stool problems since.

 

Re: Probiotics/bright orange diarrhoea/losing the plot..

Hi Swimming in the Mississippi. Cool! Vespa has to satisfy herself with the White Cart in Glasgow-not quite the same! (Although she loves it just the same!)
Thanks for your advice. Could I just check-does the worming treatment I use not prevent this disease then? Should I use a different wormer normally or is it impossible to get one that covers all the common parasites? I use Advocate. Should I buy this other one or wait and see what the vet says? I see it can be possible to get false negatives from tests. It's a bit confusing!

 

Re: Probiotics/bright orange diarrhoea/losing the plot..

Nothing useful to add, just sympathy and hopes that you will get to the, er, bottom of it soon. And hopes that you will soon get some sleep! I hope the tests come back with some answers....

 

Re: Probiotics/bright orange diarrhoea/losing the plot..

Ho ho
Thanks for the encouragement. She's having a great sleep right now. Lucky so and so!

 

Re: Probiotics/bright orange diarrhoea/losing the plot..

I'm not familiar with Advocate, though Google shows it to be used against rounds, hooks, and whips. No mention of tapeworms, though. SafeGuard does tapeworms, two kinds of roundworms, hookworms, and whipworms, but not heartworm or mange mites. I use Heartgard for heartworms and Frontline Plus for fleas and ticks, and SafeGuard only when I think they need it.

If you routinely use the same dewormer, it may be that the parasites are becoming resistant to it. Maybe change dewormer for a while?

Vespa's problem might not be internal parasites at all, but I'd try another dewormer before giving up on that option. Stool tests can come back as false negatives (worms don't constantly shed eggs), and some parasites are really difficult to detect. I believe there is a blood test for giardia (I was doing a ton of reading online when Daisy's stools just would not firm up, no matter what), and I also think I remember reading that a stubborn case can take twice as long to beat as the "usual" case. I would insist on more thorough stool testing, ask about the blood test, and maybe go for double-length giardia treatment? And if you're losing confidence in your vet, go somewhere else! Runny, orange, diarrhea is not normal! Something is going on...

Is there anything in a raw diet that could cause a problem? Not from a raw diet, per se, but some particular, contaminated portion? Like the variety of e-coli that is so bad for people that we can pick up from an innocent melon?? Salmonella from raw chicken? Just guessing here! ???