Both Sick Again Tearing My Hair Out.

[JulesP]

Does sound like a stomach issue. IBD probably. (This isn't the same as IBS). IBD would be like say Crohns in a human. Especially if the Flagyl is helping.

I did feed hairball food to a cat to help with IBD issues. There was something about the hairball food, I think it was the fibre, that helped with IBD. So maybe the vet is trying something like that.

Saying Holistic Select is a crap food is really dumb though.

Just doing bloods for the liver isn't very helpful. You need to do bile tests and you need to ultrasound the liver. My dog's severe liver problem doesn't really show up in a blood test.

[Florise]

Oops

Edited August 23, 2014 by Florise

[Florise]

Oops also forgot. Then they said he could be sensitive to chicken and try another protein or do elimination diet. I'm running out of protein and he's had rice, pasta , pumpkin, sweet potato. Next carbohydrate???

Of course they said they had a packaged biscuit with hydrolized protein but on research online on a site with dr Jean Dodd they didn't advocate hydrolized protein but novel protein.

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I wouldn't be feeding any carbs at all. What about just minced chicken frames with a good natural supplements such as Green pet or Pet ark.

[Florise]

sorry triple post

Edited August 23, 2014 by Florise

[sheena]

Sorry I do not know your history and I am not fully understanding however...Interceptor is given as a heartworm preventative.

It is given monthly and will control round worm but not tapeworms.

Second thing is what are you using to control fleas?

That ^ bolded part is not correct. Interceptor does prevent tapeworm.

Of course if Charjas forgets to give Interceptor regularly there is no protection against any worms, including heartworm.

Charjas, in order for your dog to have tapeworm it must have fleas. Tapeworm comes from the dog ingesting fleas when they bite at the itch. It would be best if you use Sentinel instead of Interceptor to prevent a flea infestation. Again, if you forget to give the dogs the medication they have no protection against anything.

I don't know your history either but I wanted to assure Charjas that Interceptor does prevent tapeworm.

Can you please clear me up on this, CavNrott. I always thought a dog could get tapeworm from eating infected offal, or wildlife especially those little penny lizards. I knew they got it from ingesting fleas, but surely that is not the only way. Also Charjas, if your dogs have tapeworm, then I would be going to the chemist & telling them & getting a wormer to treat yourself plus anybody else who has contact with your dogs. As you can pick up tapeworm eggs from your dog & ingest them. Please correct me if I am wrong.....DOL's

[Rosetta]

Everything sounds hit and miss. I would avoid chicken and stick with fish based product. Also try a probiotic to help reestablish the gut flora.

[schnauzer]

Did you have a consult with Dr Linda Vogelnest as advised in a previous thread?

Also you should be aware that it is advised to NEVER use Frontline on a dog with a sensitive skin as they can have adverse reactions.

Sounds like too many diet changes and no consistency. If you are prepared for a drive I would either suggest seeing Linda at Sydney or Camden Uni.

You need to work through food allergies with your vet (if that's what it is). Have just done this with one of my ex pf dogs and he is 100% better on a fish and potato kibble and fish. It is time consuming and you can not feed anything else during a food trial period of over six weeks. Be persistent and you may be able to find the cause of their problems.

[schnauzer]

gremlins......

Edited August 24, 2014 by schnauzer

[cavNrott]

Can you please clear me up on this, CavNrott. I always thought a dog could get tapeworm from eating infected offal, or wildlife especially those little penny lizards. I knew they got it from ingesting fleas, but surely that is not the only way. Also Charjas, if your dogs have tapeworm, then I would be going to the chemist & telling them & getting a wormer to treat yourself plus anybody else who has contact with your dogs. As you can pick up tapeworm eggs from your dog & ingest them. Please correct me if I am wrong.....DOL's

The tapeworm that can be found in raw offal that has not been passed as safe for human consumption is the Hydatid tapeworm which is not the variety of tapeworm we're discussing here. Some research perhaps and all will be revealed.

I don't think I suggested dogs ingesting fleas is the only way they would catch tapeworm but I do think it's the most likely way. I did in fact say that the dogs could be getting tapeworm from eating possum poop but that was probably in another of my replies in this convoluted thread with all the confusing quotes and double posts.

I agree with your suggestion that Charjas should treat all members of the household with an all wormer from the chemist.

[Salukifan]

Agree with the other posters who suggest the shotgun approach you are taking to your dogs health issues can't be helping. The fact that both are getting sick suggests diet or environmental issues.

How stressed are you? Dogs pick up on this and frankly I'm reading this in your posts.

STOP using chemicals in and around your dogs. What do you use in the house and around them? Dogs won't die from eating possum poo so chill out about that. Don't add more chemicals to their environment. Your dogs need a balanced diet that doesn't cause allergies (if indeed your dogs actually have any) and to be free from chemical assault. lDon't treat for fleas if your dogs don't have them and avoid all spot treatments - use tablets that don't stay in the dog's system.

Get them out for fresh air and exercise. Find a vet whose advice you trust and stick with it.

And chill out. Seriously that could be half the problem.

Edited August 24, 2014 by Haredown Whippets

[Charjas]

Oops also forgot. Then they said he could be sensitive to chicken and try another protein or do elimination diet. I'm running out of protein and he's had rice, pasta , pumpkin, sweet potato. Next carbohydrate???

Of course they said they had a packaged biscuit with hydrolized protein but on research online on a site with dr Jean Dodd they didn't advocate hydrolized protein but novel protein.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

I wouldn't be feeding any carbs at all. What about just minced chicken frames with a good natural supplements such as Green pet or Pet ark.

Why minced chicken frames? I used to feed chicken necks chopped up but when I found little chicken bones in garden I thought he was vomiting them up. Now it's just cooked chicken tenderloins.

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[JulesP]

You need to find out what is wrong with the dogs first.

Feeding chicken frames to a dog with a liver issue may kill the dog for instance.

[Charjas]

Agree with the other posters who suggest the shotgun approach you are taking to your dogs health issues can't be helping. The fact that both are getting sick suggests diet or environmental issues.

How stressed are you? Dogs pick up on this and frankly I'm reading this in your posts.

STOP using chemicals in and around your dogs. What do you use in the house and around them? Dogs won't die from eating possum poo so chill out about that. Don't add more chemicals to their environment. Your dogs need a balanced diet that doesn't cause allergies (if indeed your dogs actually have any) and to be free from chemical assault. lDon't treat for fleas if your dogs don't have them and avoid all spot treatments - use tablets that don't stay in the dog's system.

Get them out for fresh air and exercise. Find a vet whose advice you trust and stick with it.

And chill out. Seriously that could be half the problem.

They go for a walk every day and spend us much time as possible outside except people do work. I work 3 days and have a walker who comes on those days and has done that for 4 years.

I don't use chemicals in my house. I wash the floors with water. I vacuum the rest.

I've followed the vets instructions with bland diet and most times with flagyl it settles. I don't understand how if Charlie starts and it's something inside him then jasper shouldn't come down with anything 4 days later.

I've been at the vet every 4 weeks since before Christmas.

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[Charjas]

Everything sounds hit and miss. I would avoid chicken and stick with fish based product. Also try a probiotic to help reestablish the gut flora.

I have started with probiotic powder.

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[cavNrott]

Ok replies to all queries , not sure how to reply individually on tapatalk.

Before I got jasper( 2011) Charlie was on a food made by the BARF but I chunkier type and this was ok but was too far to go when I ran out. My groomer used to stock it but stopped. I can't remember which biscuits he had. Tried some z something for sensitive stomach but he pooed everywhere.

Sorry but I have selectively quoted some of your reply for the sake of brevity.

Do your dogs have access to outdoors at all times? I'm getting the impression that he's pooping inside the house.

If you are serious about clearing up your dogs problems then it's not too far to drive to get the BARF food that evidently agrees with him. You could buy a few boxes to keep in the freezer if you have enough freezer space. Otherwise you need to find a new supplier or make the drive to get the BARF. Research for a supplier closer to you.

Switched to holistic fish. It was ok. But i was still looking for alternatives.

Why are you looking for alternatives when you have found two foods now that your dogs have done well on. Feed them the food that is best for them and quit swapping and changing around.

Night time was chicken necks but jasper gulps them down without chewing and Charlie was bringing up bits of bone. He had a barium because he always had a tender tummy. It showed food moved slowly but caecum enlarged. A prior blood test showed liver enzyme was high. After medication it went down by half but haven't given milk thistle as I should.

You need to get serious, your dogs are suffering. Firstly you forgot to give Interceptor and the dogs got worms and now you didn't give milk thistle as you should have and again the dogs suffered ill health. For goodness sake give the dogs their medication products correctly or they won't work as they're supposed to. We all have to be responsible for giving medication on time and we managed to do it without too much effort.

I use interceptor spectrum not sentinel but believed it treats tapeworm. Just don't understand how it could be that they had it 2 1/2 weeks ago too. I had forgotten my June dose because I needed to buy a new one and didn't leave the box on bench as a reminder. So they did go from 30 may till mid July without. That's when vet gave drontal and I bought more interceptor and hence gave it 16 August. Perhaps it didn't kill all.

Your dogs went for six weeks or more without any protection from worms or heartworm. What did you expect? You have to get serious about the health of your dogs and again, give the medication products properly. You can't expect them to have cover if you don't administer the medication within the due period. To repeat...Interceptor does prevent tapeworm if given correctly. It is your responsibility to administer the Interceptor on time.

So I only mixed some biscuits in. I tried the canidae fish ones once but then he pooed everywhere in the laundry

The dogs access to outdoors. They have no option but to poop in the laundry if they're shut in there.

In himself he's ok. Usually if he's off he walks slowly, tail down, long face, back to bed

.

No, if he's showing those symptoms he is not ok, he is sick.

He's supposed to have his blood test in the morning for his liver

He needs a comprehensive blood test to discover all his levels, not just his liver levels.

I live in Sutherland shire. Really not had too much experience with other vets

I'm sure there is more than one vet in the Sutherland shire. Do some research and find a new vet.

I would like to know what abdominal surgery this dog had. You said he had his appendix removed. A dog does not have an appendix. Perhaps you could clarify.

[cavNrott]

You shouldn't need to have had these dogs to the vet every week since before Christmas, that's ridiculous. You desperately need a new vet and you need to take responsibility for administering medication when it needs to be administered or the dogs won't receive any benefit of the medication.

We can see you're frustrated with your dog's condition and you're trying to do what's best for them, even to the point of having a dog walker come in on the three days you can't walk them. However nothing will change until you find a caring vet to help the dogs.

[sheena]

Can you please clear me up on this, CavNrott. I always thought a dog could get tapeworm from eating infected offal, or wildlife especially those little penny lizards. I knew they got it from ingesting fleas, but surely that is not the only way. Also Charjas, if your dogs have tapeworm, then I would be going to the chemist & telling them & getting a wormer to treat yourself plus anybody else who has contact with your dogs. As you can pick up tapeworm eggs from your dog & ingest them. Please correct me if I am wrong.....DOL's

The tapeworm that can be found in raw offal that has not been passed as safe for human consumption is the Hydatid tapeworm which is not the variety of tapeworm we're discussing here. Some research perhaps and all will be revealed.

I don't think I suggested dogs ingesting fleas is the only way they would catch tapeworm but I do think it's the most likely way. I did in fact say that the dogs could be getting tapeworm from eating possum poop but that was probably in another of my replies in this convoluted thread with all the confusing quotes and double posts.

I agree with your suggestion that Charjas should treat all members of the household with an all wormer from the chemist.

It's the Hydatit tapeworm I was thinking of. Do we know what type of tapeworm the OP is talking about ? I was of the opinion that ordinary wormers (monthly ones) do not treat Hydatit Tapeworm & that is why we worm every three months with a wormer that does Hydatit.

My dogs live on a farm surrounded by bush, so they get to eat every kind of poo... possum, chook, cow, calf, kangaroo (yum), fox...you name it. I only treat with a wormer every 3 months, on the first day of each season & heartworm monthly.

[persephone]

My dogs live on a farm surrounded by bush, so they get to eat every kind of poo... possum, chook, cow, calf, kangaroo (yum), fox...you name it. I only treat with a wormer every 3 months, on the first day of each season & heartworm monthly.

Sounds sensible :)

[sheena]

I should add, that my three monthly wormer includes Hydatit Tapeworm.

[Staffyluv]

Get a new vet...

Dogs should not be on cat food, it isn't a suitable food for them. Cats and dogs have different nutritional needs.

I would run a mile if a vet said to feed my dog cat food.

Why not a clean raw diet?

Or if time is an issue, as it is with me, I discovered Vets All Natural and Zig has never looked back on it. I always have some of the ready mad stuff in the fridge but you just buy the mix and soak it overnight and mix with good quality roo mince.. He gets that of a night and a bone of some description and a bit of kibble in the morning.I am using Royal Canine at the moment, the lower fat one.

We never change from this because it works for him..

Can you stop them eating the possum poo? I realise it isn't easy stopping something that they seem to like and have access to.

I hope you get it sorted,,it sounds very stressful, on all of you.

What is that food??

Where is it available ??

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Vets All Natural - you can get a supplement to add to your own meat (I use human grade kangaroo from Woolworths or chicken or turkey mince)..

Link to the website - so you can buy online but I get mine from Petstock pet shop.. You can contact them to find a stockist near you..

My link

I buy this to soak and add to the minced meat

My link

Zig has a sensitive tummy and if he eats too much fat, has jelly type poo and he hasn't had it since I moved him onto this.

I found the Royal Canin low fat one is a good as a kibble addition.

Mostly he just gets something on a bone with a little bit of kibble of a morning (turkey neck, chicken wing or drumstick, lamb rib or beef brisket bone - he is good with bones and has no trouble with them at all).

Dinner is the minced meat with the soaked Vets all natural additive. (I make up a weeks worth and store it in the fridge). The amount to soak per grams of meat for your sized dog is on the packet..

It has really settled his tummy down - he does nice firm poo that isn't smelly and isn't huge either..

Be careful constantly changing foods though - it can make it worse. Sometimes you just need to stick with something for a couple of months to give it a good go (unless the dog is sick on it)..

I use Advocate for worming. We get Kennel Cough vaccinations each year (as he is in obedience and seems to pick it up a couple of times a year, so the vaccination makes it less severe).. He is also C3 vaccinated each year (as he is in obedience and they require it - if he wasn't, I would only do it if he needed it)..