Four vets, and still no cure for puppy's diarrhea!?

[luvmycat]

I'm so sorry your poor baby is having this issue...! I posted on the cat forum about a product I found from the "Honest Kitchen" called "Perfect Form"...it's all natural, and cleared up some really awful diarrhea my newly rescued kitten had, in just one day. Needless to say, I was amazed! It contains: papaya leaf, plantain, slippery elm, pectin, pumpkin seed, fennel & papain...completely natural, and usually dogs enjoy the flavor more than cats, according to the owner of the holistic pet food store I go to, but my cats and dogs ALL love it. It can be used as a daily supplement to promote healthy digestive function.

The kitten I rescued last year had coccidia, and after 1 round of Albon, it was still very much plaguing him...I didn't want to keep putting chemicals into his newly-developing immune system, so I started brewing chamomile tea and putting it in his food...it expels parasites and is very inexpensive, (I used actual dried chamomile I got at a health food store & used a tea ball to steep it in the boiling water.)

As for the food itself, Wellness Core is grain-free and an excellent choice, but my favorite is the Honest Kitchen's dehydrated raw food...they use human grade food, all are gluten-free, and there are several different formulas to choose from, so if your dog has an allergy to certain protein sources there are options...I use one called "Keen", which is a little different from the others b/c it has rolled oats while the rest are both gluten and grain-free. My dogs have been thriving on this stuff, and their stools are consistently firm and normal, plus their energy levels have skyrocketed.

If it is coccidia, (which is what it sounds like to me), it can be a real pain in the you-know-what to get rid of, but once an animal's immune system is up to par, it will knock those nasty buggers right out...the best way to build that immune system up is through great nutrition & staying away from chemicals, they only deplete it and ruin all your hard work.

Good luck, and hang in there!

[LookinForMayberry]

We had Bigun out for his mid-afternoon walk, and I am thrilled to report dropping that looked normal! I didn't give him his tablespoon of Ritz's canned food (Blue home-style recipe) that I've been using to hide the probiotics powder. Hmmm. Could it be as simple as just stopping any canned food?

I think I am going to stay with the earlier suggestion, and not change a thing, other than to stop the canned "probiotic helper" and see if that's all it takes. After a week, if I am still seeing recurring soft stools, I'll look for the pumpkin.

Thanks, again, everyone!

[Honeycrisp]

That's very encouraging, mine have been on canned food very seldom but I have a hunch you might be right, the dry may be the way to go (knock wood), way to go, Bigun (& mom!)

[LookinForMayberry]

Now, I am certain the changing diet and wet foods were combining to make my Bigun suffer. Last night I gave him some training treats (Purina Puppy Chow coated with bacon drippings) -- obviously having a severe LACK of Mindfulness, at the time! This morning, the first two eliminations were fine, but the last one was another "pudding" pop.

From here on out, it's the Wellness Super5Mix Puppy and nothing else. Training will have to have its own rewards, without treats.! (Sigh.)

[brattpowered]

Originally Posted by LookinForMayberry

From here on out, it's the Wellness Super5Mix Puppy and nothing else. Training will have to have its own rewards, without treats.! (Sigh.)

You could always measure out Bigun's food for the day and take a handful out to use as training rewards. Even though I need to use regular kibble for my dog's training when I run out of real treats, she is just as excited for it as she would be soft treats because I am giving them to her for a job well done.

[LookinForMayberry]

So true. This morning's use of breakfast kibble to reinforce going to his basket worked very well. Of course, he still values sitting in Mom's chair more! 8)

Just want to thank everyone, again. We had a whole day -- with one soft exception, of healthy elimination. You have all been great.

[Honeycrisp]

Praise works wonders and can be very encouraging in itself. I think that less is best - a bag of dog treats around here lasts a looonnng time b/c I dole them out sparingly - the size they get is about equal to a piece of kibble. Of course, if they had their druthers, they'd wolf down the whole bag but that's not how it works and isn't what's best for them and they're happy and healthy - and of course, solid poop is much easier to scoop

Originally Posted by LookinForMayberry

Now, I am certain the changing diet and wet foods were combining to make my Bigun suffer. Last night I gave him some training treats (Purina Puppy Chow coated with bacon drippings) -- obviously having a severe LACK of Mindfulness, at the time! This morning, the first two eliminations were fine, but the last one was another "pudding" pop.

From here on out, it's the Wellness Super5Mix Puppy and nothing else. Training will have to have its own rewards, without treats.! (Sigh.)

[zugor]

Lookin at my grocery store they carry cheddar cheese that is already cut into small cubes about 3/4" on average. I then cut those in half, then quarter the two halves to get 8 very small pieces but they are perfect for training treats. I also use Bil-Jac Liver Treats and cut those in half.

[Honeycrisp]

My DIL once mentioned when she was helping out w/ nursery school kids, they would get so excited and would behave wonderfully for a mere skittle (smaller than an M&M) and the kids lovvved them - it's a similar idea. I'm sure it didnt happen all the time and they had the parents' permission but it worked well (maybe b/c it was so seldom).

[Laurie15]

Sounds like a biopsy is next,rather then a "shot gun" approach