Dog illness/gastro issues question??

[Cindiloohoo]

Quote:
Nope no vomitting, just the other end. That is interesting about the gelatin. Good to know, and Thank you both very much for the concern and helpful information!!

BYC'ers are the bestest bunch!!

 

[tdgill]

Giardiasis outbreaks can occur in communities in both developed and developing countries where water supplies become contaminated with raw sewage.

It can be contracted by drinking water from lakes or streams where water-dwelling animals such as beavers and muskrats, or domestic animals such as sheep, have caused contamination

Symptoms: Large populations of Giardia can interfere with the absorption of food and produce feces that are soft, light-colored, and greasy. Mucus from the large intestine may also indicate that the large intestine is irritated even though the colony of active protozoa remains in the small intestine. Blood tests appear normal with the possible exception of an increase in a type of white blood cells and mild anemia.

Diagnosis: Since diarrhea is a common symptom of intestinal infection, causes such as Salmonella and Campylobacter are generally ruled out before testing for Giardia is done. Direct microscopic inspection of feces is necessary to determine the presence of the protozoan. Examination of soft feces may reveal the active trophozoites, and cysts may be found in firm excrement. The number of cysts can vary from day to day, so best chances of detecting this form of Giardia lies in collecting samples over three days for a fecal flotation test or conducting individual tests every two or three days until at least three tests have been done. A quicker test does exist, but it is more expensive and requires an experienced technician to run.

Treatment:There are several options of treatment , some with two- or three-day protocols and others needing seven-to-10 days to complete the job. Flagyl (Metronidazole) is an old stand-by treatment for bacterial infestations that cause diarrhea and is about 60-70 percent effective in curing giardiasis. However, Flagyl has potentially serious side-effects in some animals, including vomiting, anorexia, liver toxicity, and some neurological signs, and it cannot be used in pregnant dogs. In a recent study, Panacur (Fenbendazole), which is approved for use in treating dogs with roundworm, hookworm, and whipworm, has been shown to be effective in treating canine giardiasis. Panacur is safe to use in puppies at least six weeks of age.
In large kennels, mass treatment of all dogs is preferable, and the kennel and exercise areas should be thoroughly disinfected. Kennel runs should be steam-cleaned and left to dry for several days before dogs are reintroduced. Lysol, ammonia, and bleach are effective decontamination agents.

Because Giardia crosses species and can infect people, sanitation is important when caring for dogs. Kennel workers and pet owners alike should be sure to wash hands after cleaning dog runs or removing feces from yards, and babies and toddlers should be kept away from dogs that have diarrhea. When traveling with Fido, owners should prevent him from drinking potentially infected water in streams, ponds, or swamps and, if possible, avoid public areas polluted with feces.

 

[tdgill]

Also,
Take her temperature...important info. Its the first thing the vet will do...

Keep us posted! Love them pits!

 

[mypicklebird]

This is tough situation--
So MANY things can cause diarrhea in a 1 year old dog- unspayed, unvaccinated. Parvo, certainly. Usually causes vomiting and diarrhea- they die from dehydration and septicemia most of the time, if not given aggressive supportive care (fluids often with sugar, antinausea meds, antibiotics for secondary bacterial infection). Some older puppies will get better with oral meds and SQ fluids. The older and stronger an individual is, the more likely they will get better with minimal care. It might not be parvo though. Could be pyometra, hookworms/whipworms, coccidia or giardia, any number of GI bacterial infections, pancreatitis, partial obstruction with a foreign body, ect. A vet can sort this out. If you can beg/borrow enough to get the dog seen- and tell them you do not have $ for testing- they can still help with supportive care directed at the symptoms. Shivering= pain usually. Diarrhea- SQ fluids if severe, metronidazole/fenbendazole for protozoal infections + anaerobic bacterial infections, amoxicillin maybe for additional bacterial coverage. Antinausea meds to improve appetite. If you can afford one or two low cost tests- get a parvo test done, and if this is negative- get a fecal float done. This can really help direct the treatment. On the physical exam itself- there may be some thing found that points to a specific problem like pyometra or foreign body.

My brief soapbox- never skip vaccines, especially parvo and pittbulls. They seem to be more susceptible than many other breeds. You can go to vaccine clinics or buy DAPP vaccines yourself and give them, if you want to skip the vet route. An unvaccinated pittbull is a parvo MAGNET. No excuse for unvaccinated dogs IMHO. Rabies too- poor pittbulls have a hard enough time with their mostly undeserved bad reputation. An adult intact female or male, unvaccinated pittbull does not help the breed improve it's reputation. If she gets out and gets picked up by a shelter/pound- the best chance she has to get back to you safely is a current license & rabies vaccine + collar with those tags + your info. When she gets better (and I sincerely hope she does), get her vaccinated and spayed ASAP.

 

[Cindiloohoo]

Oh and by the way she is spayed and current on vaccs until Friday at least...but due to have them NOW!! I thought she was behind,but went and looked at her paperwork and she is due Friday for her vaccs, so it's just very close.

 

[tdgill]

 

[mypicklebird]

That is great- that means she doesn't have pyometra, and parvo is really unlikely.



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[greyhorsewoman]

Vaccines do not 'expire' just because your dog is 'due.' Many time protection continues for quite awhile. Vets can do a titre test to determine level of immunity. Also, vaccines PREVENT disease, they do nothing to CURE it.

http://www.2ndchance.info/dogvacs.htm

Dogs do not exhibit pain symptoms unless they are in pain. The amount of pain you see your dog exhibiting is in direct correlation to the pain he is ... they don't 'overact.' Giardia sounds like a good possibility and can be difficult to self-treat. If it's a blockage in the intestines, it will cause your dog a long and painful death ... the longer you wait, the less likely a positive outcome. I hope you can determine the problem soon.

 

[SillyChicken]

If the dog acts like he's really in pain, it could still be parvo... but the dog won't live long if he has it. If he does, bleach the heck out of your house, walk ways, garage shoes etc.. it's highly contagious. I had a dog of the same age suffer parvo even with shots, luckily he survived but that was after spending a week at the vet with 2 treatments and $2000.00 later.

To help you save money on shots - TSC has the yearly dog shots in the store for about 5$. Easy to administer - if you want to do yourself PM me, I do all my own dogs (4 mastiffs). I'll walk you through on how to do it, it's really easy!

For internal upsets this is what I do:

for run of the mill diarreha, I'll give them an adult dose of either Pepto (liquid with a syringe or tablets) or Imodium - will clear up in a day.

For really sick:

NO food for 24 hours. (water always available) Activity restricted to crate and leashed walks outside.

The next day I feed 2 to 4 very small meals of cooked white rice, chicken broth and plain yogurt. Don't give him anything else.
watch stools and behavior. You should see some improvement fairly soon.

The rest of the week, I feed cooked white rice, chicken broth, yogurt and cooked hamburger (I use venison - NO fat) or you can add a small amount of their regular food. During this week I start with more rice add more meat/dog food and less of the rice and transition back to regular food.

If the dog is looking at it's side alot, lethargic, drooling and hanging it's head, it could have a blockage in the stomach. You will have to have surgery or the dog will die. Sometimes the barium test they give the dogs to make the blockage more viewable in xray will help move things along and surgery isn't needed (been through that one too).

If he continues to have problems, call a vet and see if they'll work out a payment plan. I have a credit card just for dog emergencies.

My concern is that (and I'm sorry) maybe you should try to rehome the dog until your better financially prepared to care for him properly. I spend several thousand dollars a year on my dogs - they tend to get in to trouble! Your's doesn't sound any different. Unless you're willing to be with the dog 24 hrs to watch everything he's getting into, and crate him when you cannot - you're going to have this kind of stuff crop up. You may be saving him from the shelter but you could also kill him with your kindness. (plus you need to be able to take care of yourself too

).

Make sure there is no open antifreeze available for him to get into, it's toxic to dogs. Also, if you have a pond, in warm climates or during spring alge blooms are also highly toxic to dogs. Lastly, becareful not to allow vigerous activity before or 1 hr after feeding (drinking alot of water etc) - this can cause bloat - bloat is caused by twisting of the stomach, it's serious and can kill a dog within hours.

Good luck with your pup.

 

[Tala]

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Actually, I think most animals try their best to hide pain. They aren't wimps like us humans, and they don't survive in a dog pack by acting sickly. IF they are showing symptoms of being in pain, then it's REALLY BAD!

If the dog is visibly losing weight I think you should take her to the vet because she's going downhill fast. I think whatever is wrong is worse than "run of the mill" upset tummy.