Heath Concern For New Doggy!

[HugoDoogoEbblePebble]

Hey guys!

I need a few bits of advice on what to do and WHEN to worry.

To give a bit of background, I am often going between my boyfriend's house and mine, taking my toy poodle with me on a week to week basis. My boyfriends mum has 3 poodles, 2 of which were recently diagnosed with a bacterial infection in the end part of their large intestines (rectum). First dog presented with symptoms of diahreah and blood in the stool, and had the symptoms for 2 days until the vet told her to take it in. Then, the other dog (small poodle) presented the same symptoms which led the vet to believe that it was indeed contagious.

SO... I'm back at my place now however I am worried about the health of my toy poodle (nobody's fault! Except bacteria of course!). I've been told to watch her for the next couple of days and she passed a relatively 'hard' stool last night, but today I noticed it was a tiny bit softer and looked like it had a bit of mucous in it? (she was given rice and a tiny bit of chicken, normally she gets kibble but she is quite picky about it) and she appeared to be trying to 'get the rest out' but there was a TINY bit of dribble at her bum and sounded like a 'bubbly fart' (lol) - all sounds disgusting I know but I have to be specific!!!

So, I am absolutely ready to take her to the vet tomorrow if need be, but I need to know... When do I worry!

The other dogs are on medication at the moment and hopefully should make a full recovery this week!!!

Please, advice guys :)!!!!

[Erny]

Great that you're being vigilant but, on the basis of what you've written and that, if it is anything, it is likely to be the same gastro problem as the others, I wouldn't be panicking. In the absence of any other issues, I'd probably fast for a day if the diarrhoea symptoms are persisting tonight. Make sure your dog has access to plenty of clean fresh water. If there is no worsening and if your dog is otherwise quite well and happy, I'd probably give it a day or two to see if it will come good - but that's me. I'm not a Vet nor an expert.

ETA: I'd not be taking your dog out anywhere or asking too much of her - for her sake and for all the other doggies in the area. Also be careful that you're not spreading the condition by going from one dog to the next. Don't need the bug spreading into an endemic ;).

Edited April 3, 2012 by Erny

[westiemum]

This - but I'm no vet or expert either. If you've changed her diet that can be enough to cause some runny poo. If there is any blood in the poo then thats when I'd be straight off to the vet - especially if accompanied by any sort of dehydration, vomitting and her obviously being unwell - and don't delay! With my westies I don't get too panicked about the occasional runny poo (who knows what they've been eating while I've been at work - persimmons? apricots?,nectarines? grass?) - but blood or persistent runny poo is a different matter.

[HugoDoogoEbblePebble]

Great that you're being vigilant but, on the basis of what you've written and that, if it is anything, it is likely to be the same gastro problem as the others, I wouldn't be panicking. In the absence of any other issues, I'd probably fast for a day if the diarrhoea symptoms are persisting tonight. Make sure your dog has access to plenty of clean fresh water. If there is no worsening and if your dog is otherwise quite well and happy, I'd probably give it a day or two to see if it will come good - but that's me. I'm not a Vet nor an expert.

ETA: I'd not be taking your dog out anywhere or asking too much of her - for her sake and for all the other doggies in the area. Also be careful that you're not spreading the condition by going from one dog to the next. Don't need the bug spreading into an endemic ;).

I'm just worried because it is bacterial and the vet said with small dogs they can go downhill very quickly, so if she has it I want to catch it before she starts shooting blood out her bum.

I'm quite diligent about disinfecting everything (washed her bed, waterbowl ect) but yeah I just like to be overly careful!!!

[HugoDoogoEbblePebble]

This - but I'm no vet or expert either. If you've changed her diet that can be enough to cause some runny poo. If there is any blood in the poo then thats when I'd be straight off to the vet - especially if accompanied by any sort of dehydration, vomitting and her obviously being unwell - and don't delay! With my westies I don't get too panicked about the occasional runny poo (who knows what they've been eating while I've been at work - persimmons? apricots?,nectarines? grass?) - but blood or persistent runny poo is a different matter.

Our labrador occasionally does the odd runny one, but I'm very worried now because if she does have it, I know what it is.

She seems very 'herself' though, and still wants to play and eat and drink. The 'mucous' I saw could have been just part of what she ate last night? She doesn't often have alot of chicken at all...

Thanks for all your assistance guys, keep the ideas coming (if you have any more!) I'm an experienced dog owner, but I still get things wrong time to time

[Salukifan]

Don't panic.

It's completely normal for the consistency of a dog's poo to change with what you feed. Soft poo and mucus says "stomach irritation" to me NOT disease.

Just keep an eye on things. There's every possibility the other poodles have both eaten something dodgy in the back yard - it may not be transmissible.

If she becomes lethargic, goes off her food or gets the squirts that's when I'd be headed for the vet.

[HugoDoogoEbblePebble]

Don't panic.

It's completely normal for the consistency of a dog's poo to change with what you feed. Soft poo and mucus says "stomach irritation" to me NOT disease.

Just keep an eye on things. There's every possibility the other poodles have both eaten something dodgy in the back yard - it may not be transmissible.

If she becomes lethargic, goes off her food or gets the squirts that's when I'd be headed for the vet.

Unfortunately, the vet has confirmed it's a form of bacterial dog version of gastro enteritis

What did you mean by 'squirts"?

I'm worried because she may or may not have contracted the bacteria, so I am keeping an eye out. It's not 100% fatal, but I think it can turn nasty if left too long.

Overall, she is active and hungry so those are 2 good signs I guess! :D:D:D

[Salukifan]

Don't panic.

It's completely normal for the consistency of a dog's poo to change with what you feed. Soft poo and mucus says "stomach irritation" to me NOT disease.

Just keep an eye on things. There's every possibility the other poodles have both eaten something dodgy in the back yard - it may not be transmissible.

If she becomes lethargic, goes off her food or gets the squirts that's when I'd be headed for the vet.

Unfortunately, the vet has confirmed it's a form of bacterial dog version of gastro enteritis

What did you mean by 'squirts"?

I'm worried because she may or may not have contracted the bacteria, so I am keeping an eye out. It's not 100% fatal, but I think it can turn nasty if left too long.

Overall, she is active and hungry so those are 2 good signs I guess! :D:D:D

Squirts = diarrhoea

Gastro can have a range of causes - bacterial, viral, toxin - even if it is bacterial, no reason why it couldn't be from something ingested by both dogs. Unless the vet did a faecal analysis, the cause is just guess work.

Edited April 3, 2012 by Haredown Whippets

[puglvr]

No need to panic about it . You know the signs to look for if she starts showing signs just off to the vet.

I had 2 weeks of liquid poo. I had my old girl and my GSD on Flagyl but it went through all of them. Then I got sick and had 5 days of diarrhoea, doctor put me on the same medication as the dogs. Everything going fine until one morning more diarrhoea, so samples into he vet and yes he suspected Giardia and the found a spore in the faecal float. all dogs on one week course of Flagyl, second course for me and water tanks treated. hopefully all is good now. Four weeks is enough.

[HugoDoogoEbblePebble]

No need to panic about it . You know the signs to look for if she starts showing signs just off to the vet.

I had 2 weeks of liquid poo. I had my old girl and my GSD on Flagyl but it went through all of them. Then I got sick and had 5 days of diarrhoea, doctor put me on the same medication as the dogs. Everything going fine until one morning more diarrhoea, so samples into he vet and yes he suspected Giardia and the found a spore in the faecal float. all dogs on one week course of Flagyl, second course for me and water tanks treated. hopefully all is good now. Four weeks is enough.

That sounds quite comforting (that they made it through alright!) The good part is the two dogs originally infected are as bright and chipper as ever, just have diahreah and blood in the poop. But they are being treated at the moment!!!

I didn't give her any chicken tonight. Only dry kibble with a bit of rice and a few bits of chopped up carrot, and I've made sure the waterbowl is always near so she is keeping hydrated!!!

I just like to make sure my animals are healthy :) :) :)

[persephone]

Imagine if you or a child has a gastro bug/sore tummy. What do you do?

You probably don't eat ..you drink stuff like lectade/lucozade, and you then eat yoghurt and similar plain soft food until your tummy doesn't hurt , and is repaired...I doubt, if you have diarrhoea that you sit down to raw veges ..do you?

Best rule in any suspected tummy bug is to fast for 24 hrs..lots of water available tho :) then see how things are.

Hope she's ok.