Need help for a dog with diarrhea

[Pookie]

My mom called tonight to tell me that their dog had 3 very runny poops, and asking what she could give him to help.  All I could think of was psyllium husk powder and probiotic.  Instead of giving him raw chicken gizzards for dinner, she gave him a peanut butter sandwich (he won't eat just the bread). So I suggested another 1/2 sandwich with the psyllium sprinkled in, and if she could open a probiotic capsule, sprinkle that on there as well.

I'm not sure peanut butter is the greatest option, but my brain froze so it was all I could think of.  I plan to call her in the morning to see how the dog is doing, and I wanted to quickly pick your brains for any other suggestions I could give her.

Thanks in advance!   

[DeeDee]

You can give them pepto bismol, imodium or kaopectate--but you have to know the measurements for it--unless it's a Collie. I don't know why, but collies and some other breeds can't have it.

I'd quit the regular food for 24 hours, give regular-white-rice-water (just boil regular white rice in water until the water is creamy white and strain) and give small amounts of pumpkin. Save the rice and mix with cottage cheese after the 24 hrs are up. Add boiled chicken to the rice and cheese the next day. The stomach needs time to settle.

When dogs won't eat the pumpkin cure-all, I treat them like kids and give bananas. Bananas are a cure-all for kids with constipation OR diarrhea. I wouldn't give psyllium because it blocks things up instead of letting whatever's bad go away. Many of these things need to run their course.

This is a chart that I have MY vet's permission to use for MY dogs. They don't have the weird genes that are dangerous like collies though.

Note: NONE of these things worked either time when they got Giardia, but my signal for that now is a memorable, strange smell.

[Lola]

Personally, I'm not a fan of rice.  Dr. Becker mentions some alternatives:

If your pet is an adult, otherwise healthy, and behaving normally except for the diarrhea, I recommend you withhold food – NOT WATER – for 12 hours.

At the 12-hour mark, offer a bland, fat-free diet. I recommend cooked ground turkey and plain 100 percent pumpkin.

Cook the ground turkey to remove grease and extra fat. And make sure the pumpkin isn’t pie filling, just plain canned or fresh cooked. If you can’t find plain canned pumpkin, substitute cooked sweet potato or even instant mashed potatoes.

This is a different bland diet from the traditional ground beef and rice combination that is often recommended. Even the leanest ground beef contains a lot of fat, and fat can worsen a case of diarrhea.

Rice, even though it’s bland, is very fermentable. Fermenting rice in the colon of a pet with diarrhea tends to increase gassiness. Also, rice tends to just zip right through the GI tract, exiting with the next bout of explosive diarrhea totally undigested.

Because of its large surface area (when compared to kernels of rice), many pets do much better with pureed pumpkin or sweet potato. Even through a bout of diarrhea, it is readily absorbed.

Mix the cooked ground turkey and pumpkin or sweet potato 50-50 in your dog’s bowl. Feed 2 to 3 small meals a day until stools are back to 100 percent, which should happen in about 72 hours.

My favorite all-natural anti-diarrhea remedy is an herb called slippery elm bark. I recommend always having some on hand so when you need it, it’s right there. You don’t have to run to the store.

Slippery elm is safe for puppies, adults, and geriatric dogs and it is completely safe blended with other medications. I recommend about a half teaspoon for each 10 pounds of body weight, mixed into the bland diet twice daily.

I also recommend you add in a good quality pet probiotic once the stool starts to firm.

Feeding a bland diet and supplementing with slippery elm bark is a good plan for about 3 days, at which time your dog’s stool should be back to normal.

If after 3 days the diarrhea hasn’t cleared up, it’s time to check in with your veterinarian.

http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2012/03/26/dealing-with-dog-diarrhea.aspx

[DeeDee]

I also recommend you add in a good quality pet probiotic once the stool starts to firm.

I wonder why she wants to wait on that? I've always started probiotics with rice water right off the bat. I was told to never use ground meats that I'd need to remove grease from, so I've always used chicken breasts boiled & shredded.

I've personally never had problems with the rice, but it ends up pretty mushy and unrecognizable after cooking it so long for making the water and then mixed with the cottage cheese.



Edit: I should have said I never have had problems with MOST of my dogs. Dannyboy got instant potatoes substituted for rice after we found out he was allergic to just about every grain on earth that was commonly available at the time.

[Pookie]

Thank you both so much!   

After my original post, I went to earthclinic.com (they have a pets section) and saw a lot of success with boiled chicken and pumpkin, with or without rice.  I'll pass that info on to her as well, though I don't think she has canned pumpkin in the house.  But at least it gives her a place to start.  BTW, he's an 11-year old black lab mix (we're not sure with what, as he was a stray, but given his long legs we think possibly Great Dane).

I'm surprised to see Kaopectate on that chart, as I'd thought it was toxic to pets.     That's a handy chart to have!

Thanks again!!!!   

[DeeDee]

I'm surprised to see Kaopectate on that chart, as I'd thought it was toxic to pets.     That's a handy chart to have!

Thanks again!!!!   

I just actually read the cats' part of the chart. I don't think you're supposed to give Kaopectate to cats. I'm not sure why it's listed for cats when pepto and imodium aren't.

I prefer imodium because the small pills are easier to get down dogs. Little tiny piece of meat and they don't notice it. They notice the smell of Pepto though.

[Lola]

Giving people meds to pets make me prettttty nervous.  Hopefully between the chart, Dr. Becker, and what your mom has on hand... something will be safe and helpful. 

[Pookie]

Giving people meds to pets makes me prettttty nervous.  Hopefully between the chart, Dr. Becker, and what your mom has on hand... something will be safe and helpful. 

Ditto.  I wouldn't give a cat Kaopectate, no matter what a vet says.  I'm a bit cautious about giving human meds to a dog, too.  But it's handy to have this info when it's 9pm and Mom's worrying.   

As of this morning, the dog is fine.  .  Thanks again!

[Lola]

Did it just go away, or did your mom have to give the dog something?

[Pookie]

Did it just go away, or did your mom have to give the dog something?

I'm not sure if she gave him anything (e.g. psyllium) or if it cleared up on it's own.  I did print out this thread and gave it to her for future reference.