Kelly_Louise Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 Hi all, just looking for some advice please! Sasha has always had an unpredictable stomach. We narrowed it down to raw meat that appears to set it off, and also if she isn't fed twice a day. So, unhappily, I put her on a diet of Advance canned and Advance dry food (I know, it's not ideal) with some added supplements and also sardines 3 times a week plus a minimally meated bone once every couple of weeks – and her tummy issues seemed to pretty much resolve, got nice firm poos consistently, and she started eating much more regularly and her apetite increased. The last few days though, she has had diahorrea – it's quite watery, but has a thicker consistency like mashed up dry food. Doesn't look suspicious in any way though, no blood etc. She is otherwise fine, still eating, energetic. She also has gas pretty bad, which is not usual for her. It's pretty foul smelling, and smells stomach turningly like the runny poo. I haven't introduced anything into her diet that could cause it, can't think of anything that might have triggered it. The only thing that I'm wondering – and would like advice on – is that I keep her dry food in a sealed container, and anything that won't fit gets kept in the bag (that has a seal on it). When I went to refill the container, I noticed the bag was open. It had probably been this way for about 2 or so weeks. It's kept under the sink in the kitchen area and doesn't appear to be infested with anything, seems to smell normal and looks normal… but could this be causing her upset tummy? It seems to have started around the same time I started using this batch of food. My husband thinks it can't be this – but I'm not so sure… Could it be a possibility? I'm doing boiled chicken breast and rice tonight, going back to basics and starting again slowly… but just basically wanted opinions on whether the dry dog food bag that I accidentally left open could cause this to happen? Thank you in advance for your help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oakway Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 No, my dog food is in 22kg bags and is left open inside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelly_Louise Posted February 9, 2011 Author Share Posted February 9, 2011 Okay, thanks for that. I can rule that out then hopefully and start looking elsewhere for the culprit ;) Thanks for your advice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oakway Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 Have you had the dog checked for pancreatic disease ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelly_Louise Posted February 9, 2011 Author Share Posted February 9, 2011 No as yet we haven't. I did mention her tummy issues to the vet, but we really hadn't been having many problems at all until now. We've also had problems with her at the vet which are slowly improving - so is probably something we should look into further. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Rusty Bucket Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 I make my own dog casserole. I used to feed advanced dry food (the chicken based one), and about once a fortnight my dog would get the runs that would take a few days on boiled chicken and rice to clear up. PITA. I changed to nutro natural chicken and rice and oats - and no more runs every fortnight. WOO HOO. Dunno why. They're made by the same company, nutro is supposed to have slightly better quality ingredients. All I can say is that the advance on a regular basis was fundamentally incompatitble with my dog's gut. Have you tried feeding different brand of dog food? And don't go with Hills Science diet - it's full of crap ingredients. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShesaLikeableBiBear Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 You mention : "It seems to have started around the same time I started using this batch of food." , which would indicate that there may be something wrong with the bag. Have you checked the expiry date? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelby Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 Yes, as Hesa suggested - check the expiry date on the bag. I was caught out a few months ago. Bought a new bag of food, started feeding it to the dogs and within a few days, they were refusing to eat it. It had a bit of a different smell about it too. On checking the date on the bag it was nearly 8 months out of date. I took it back and got a replacement. Had to give each dog some of the new kibble by hand before they accepted that it was ok again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelly_Louise Posted February 9, 2011 Author Share Posted February 9, 2011 Thanks for your replies guys! I will check the expiry, however I have used half the bag previously with no issues at all - so I can't imagine it would be that... but at this stage I'm not ruling anything out and will have a look. When I mentioned batch, I meant the second time I've filled up the container with food from the bag, but this batch was left in the unopened bag. Mrs RB, I have tried her on a few different dry foods during her time with us. I settled on Advance simply because it ceased her initial tummy problems, she is doing really well on it and I just stopped because I didn't want to upset again. It was such a relief to find a combo that agreed with her, that actually encouraged her to eat (she was previously a very finicky eater). Will have a look at Nutro though to see if it might be better for her, might buy a small bag (when she's feeling better) and see if she likes it. Funnily enough she won't eat the Advance for Large breed dogs (the bigger kibble) but enjoys the All Breed smaller kibble. Maybe she has a dainty mouth LOL. I put her on boiled chicken and rice last night. Had a few watery poos this morning (not as much as I was expecting to see though) and she had done 2 small vomits with rice in it. I'm hoping to see an improvement from here on in. If not, she will be off to the vet tomorrow morning. She still appears okay, but I noticed she was a little more quieter than usual yesterday. I've always suspected that she may have problems with her digestion/stomach - I was hoping it was just a sensitive stomach, especially seeing we've had about a good run for the last couple of years (keeping the diet consistent). So, we'll see how we go. We had a problem like this a couple of years back when she ate chicken bones that she found at the park, so could be something similar that she has found and picked up without my knowledge (although I am quite vigilant about that, and have worked hard training her not to pick up random food from the ground - but she is a dog after all). If I find it's any of the neighbours... boy there'll be hell to pay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VJB Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 (edited) Your dog sounds quite similar to my dog re stomach/bowel issues. We were advised to put Heidi onto a 'light' dry food. This has solved all her problem with poo. We add sardines weekly, plus tuckertime, which is also compatible with sensitive tummies. On the odd occasion, if she is given the privilege of a piece of cabanossi or similar, we usually always notice it in her poo the next day. So, we stick with the light diet as far as dry food goes, and I am very picky about any 'extras' she may get. Edited February 9, 2011 by VJB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShesaLikeableBiBear Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 I have one here who can't digest chicken bones, and two who have problems with rice. Rather than rice you could feed her a little natural cottage cheese mixed with the chicken. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oakway Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 If the food was out of date it would most likely have have to be waaayyyyy out of date and it would be rancid and you would smell it. So many of us now days are on tight budgets and look for for cheaper out of date food. Some times we can find real expensive no grain dog food that can be purchased for half price, sometimes two for the price of one. Many dogs that are placed on light dog food improve because there is less fat in it. Often it is because they have underlying Pancreatic problems. If you have a dog that is having tummy problems take the dog off all fat and oil products and you may find a big improvement. You may find this may have to be the dogs diet for the rest of it's life. When you have these type of upsets I feel that it would be in the dogs best interest to have a thorough vet examination to try and determine the cause. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelly_Louise Posted February 10, 2011 Author Share Posted February 10, 2011 VJB, we also stick to a strict diet. Very few extras and we generally stick to the same treats to use for training etc. She really has been doing well for a couple of years though, so I assume the Advance was doing the trick for us. Initially I avoided 'light' products because she was underweight and had eating issues, but I don't think it would be a drama to start using them now she's beefy. Will google tuckertime - I've not heard of it. I did also try Sasha on the VIP rolls at one stage, and that didn't cause any grief either - although she was inclined to eat it sometimes, and sometimes not. With Advance she never turns her nose up, eats every skerrick every time. I'm also very protective about if we have people/kids over and not giving her anything. In the last couple of years though, since her diet has stabilised - I have a BIL who will (against my wishes) sneak her some food (processed meats etc) and it hasn't had too much of a bad effect at all. But those times are few and far between and I always ensure that if anyone comes to my house and is eating that they know about her tummy issues and do not feed her (regardless of the starved dog expression). Hesa, I didn't think about the rice being a problem. The bones she ate from the park were cooked chicken bones, which gave us no end of problems... but I found through elimination that even raw chicken necks/wings/frames etc would set her off. Again, because it would unsettle her tummy - sometimes she would eat, sometimes not. But oh she loves raw meat... I give her tiny pieces (from our human food prep - skinless no fat) every now and then and she can handle that okay. Could be an issue with rice though, so I'll take that into consideration - thanks Hesa. Oakway, thanks for the suggestions. I am more than happy to keep Sasha on a very strict, consistent diet. I've been doing so for a while now and have seen the benefits and seen the results. May just need to cut the fat further. I try to keep any oils out, even with her sardines, I drain and wash them before I give them to her (even though I buy the ones in water with no added salt). Regarding her dry food, it definitely doesn't smell rancid - smells very normal and not suspicious at all. I can't imagine it's out of date, I've never had that problem before (and randomly check the dates), but will double check regardless. With the improvement we saw, I thought that the issues may have been rectified or were under control. But if I see no improvement I will definitely be taking her to the vet. I don't like her being uncomfortable at all, and am quite concerned about this outbreak for no apparent/obvious reason. thank you everyone for your advice and opinions. :rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelly_Louise Posted February 14, 2011 Author Share Posted February 14, 2011 Just a follow up - after Sasha started passing what looked like blood, she was rushed to the vet last week. He thinks it is a dog tummy virus that is going around our area at the moment, and she was put on 2 different antibiotics and also given a shot. She has since improved - still not 100% but definitely a big improvement. If her stomach troubles persist though, we are to take her back and have it investigated. I am slowly re-introducing her regular food and doesn't seem to be having any ill effects. So fingers crossed it is just a bug and she will be back to her rogueish self again soon! I was out shopping when I saw a cute stuffed dog at a Valentine's day store - so I bought it for myself!! I had it on the table when I got home, and when I turned around, she had it hanging out her mouth, tail wagging frantically thinking I had bought her a new toy!! I didn't have the heart to take it off her - so I'm sure that cheered her up some!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oakway Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Just a follow up - after Sasha started passing what looked like blood, she was rushed to the vet last week. He thinks it is a dog tummy virus that is going around our area at the moment, and she was put on 2 different antibiotics and also given a shot. She has since improved - still not 100% but definitely a big improvement. If her stomach troubles persist though, we are to take her back and have it investigated.I am slowly re-introducing her regular food and doesn't seem to be having any ill effects. So fingers crossed it is just a bug and she will be back to her rogueish self again soon! I was out shopping when I saw a cute stuffed dog at a Valentine's day store - so I bought it for myself!! I had it on the table when I got home, and when I turned around, she had it hanging out her mouth, tail wagging frantically thinking I had bought her a new toy!! I didn't have the heart to take it off her - so I'm sure that cheered her up some!! Anothger sugestion that can cause tummy upsets and blood is hook worm. Just a thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShesaLikeableBiBear Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Hope she continues to improve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelly_Louise Posted February 14, 2011 Author Share Posted February 14, 2011 Hope she continues to improve. Thanks Hesa, I hope so too - she's a bit of a sooky la-la!! I think she's milking it for all it's worth!! Oakway - thanks for the suggestion. She is wormed on the dot every month with Interceptor Spectrum - is there any way she could still be affected by hookworm? The only time it has been late is this month as I gave it to her on Saturday when it was due but she vomitted it straight back up. I gave her another one today along with her flea treatment and it stayed down. I've always suspected that Sasha has sensitive stomach issues, maybe IBS or pancreatitis or similar. I don't know an awful lot about them, but hopefully if we continue to adhere to a strict diet we will avoid further problems. When she came to us she was very skinny and was not a good eater at all, and her trainer thought she may have suffered from malnutrition at some stage of her life because of the way her muscles had developed. But as the vet is happy with his diagnosis and she is on the mend, we will keep fingers crossed that I am wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Rusty Bucket Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 IBS or Irritable Bowl Syndrome is doctors' (and maybe vets') name for upset tummy with unknown cause. Ie it's not a specific treatable disease. It just means that the patient has a very sensitve stomach and needs to be careful about what they eat. Finding out what triggers the upsets goes a long way towards fixing it. For me, giardia is really really bad. Some people can have that and show no symptoms or hardly any at all. I drink water with that in it and I can kiss 2kg good bye instantly as I am glued to the White China Bus and scared to fart for days or weeks until I get the treatment for it. My dog is not affected by that particular parasite. I wonder what happened to all the dogs with cast iron eat anything stomachs? Did they rust away? How did I get a farm dog bitsa with a sensitive stomach? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelly_Louise Posted February 14, 2011 Author Share Posted February 14, 2011 IBS or Irritable Bowl Syndrome is doctors' (and maybe vets') name for upset tummy with unknown cause. Ie it's not a specific treatable disease. It just means that the patient has a very sensitve stomach and needs to be careful about what they eat.Finding out what triggers the upsets goes a long way towards fixing it. For me, giardia is really really bad. Some people can have that and show no symptoms or hardly any at all. I drink water with that in it and I can kiss 2kg good bye instantly as I am glued to the White China Bus and scared to fart for days or weeks until I get the treatment for it. My dog is not affected by that particular parasite. I wonder what happened to all the dogs with cast iron eat anything stomachs? Did they rust away? How did I get a farm dog bitsa with a sensitive stomach? I don't think I've ever owned one... from pure breds, to mutts. I've had dogs that couldn't digest bones etc... why can't they be normal dogs??? I do know of a lab puppy that appears to have a cast iron stomach - but time will tell... I know with Sasha, for some reason raw meat is a trigger. I used to feed her a mostly raw (with some dry food) diet, but found that she had a consistently upset tummy whenever I fed her chicken necks/wings/frames, or raw beef (or if the bones I gave her were too meaty). So I started from scratch, started using Advance dry and canned food, and since then we've had very few problems. I've added fish and supplements to her food, and she is now doing really well. So I think I'm on the right track - although I don't like feeding her canned food, and it costs me a fortune. But it's worth it if she enjoys eating it, and it stops her from being sick. I haven't noticed any other triggers, but I like to think that I'm aware to this kind of thing - and so is OH now that we've become aware of the problem (to the point where he suggested her problem this time may have been caused by bird poo in her water - it is changed twice a day but the birds swim in one of her bowls). I've seen such an improvement though, so hopefully it will continue. Goodness your reaction to giardia sounds awful!!! I would assume that something like that would be really hard to detect what was causing it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
griff Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 I have been fighting the dreaded tummy upset for a month or more ! My Vet says he is shocked at the amount of dogs with stomach problems lately No one in the house feeds him treats or any food .... I made sure of that. Ryan has had injections and pills and back to the Vet last Sunday with a blood test ,the results all clear He is being fed for the past month cooked human grade chicken mince and boiled rice along with the only dry he eats that horrible store bought my dog , Ryan would not eat the Dry Science Hill Sensative Stomach . Maybe I should leave it out and he may eat it ;) So after this round of meds at the end of the week back to the Vet for a stool sample and a chat about giardia and any other tummy bug that would cause the straining and then the runs ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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