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Let’s talk about poop !


Daisys Mum
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Hi,

Sasha is now 15 and lately she has been doing accidents inside... a lot of them have been quite sloppy.

I have been trying to make sure to check if she wants to go out because sometimes she will do it while walking so i have to be super fast.
What I want to know is , is having sloppy poos another sign of old age ? Her diet hasn’t changed, she is eating the exact same thing she always has but now it’s a bit hit and miss whether it will be normal or not.

My last 2 dogs were 17 but they lived with my ex and  all he said was that they were incontinent so I have no experience with an older dog. Thank god I have a carpet cleaner... it’s getting a real workout !

I have discussed my worries with my Vet but he just says “ leave her be she is old”  which isn’t helpful... I know it’s not her fault and I never make her feel bad , it’s just I want to know if it’s normal.

Edit: I didn’t post in the aged care forum as no one has posted in there for a few months.

Edited by Sashas Mum
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I feel awful for her but it’s getting quite stressful :( its made harder with the fact that the person I live with is hearing impaired so when I’m out or at work he doesn’t hear her so often he will find a lovely parcel on the carpet.

I have ordered a gate to put across the hallway as the bedroom end has slate floors so if we don’t hear her doing it  doing it on the slate floors is a better option... I wasn’t sure if it was a good idea but I have to try ways of minimising clean ups on the carpet.. being a rental too I don’t want to ruin the carpet.

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I feed her Black hawk fish and potato dry food and I mix in diced beef... chicken upsets her so I don’t feed her chicken.

Yesterday was a good day... she even ended up running around like an idiot initiating play with Lacey which she doesn’t do often these days. I’m just sad because I love her so much and I don’t want to lose her :( but I know it’s coming... damn the dust in my eyes !

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1 hour ago, Snook said:

It's so wonderful when you see that youthful spark light up. :heart:

 

When I had Justice on Taste of the Wild dry food, he started out great but over time, got softer and softer stools. Maybe something like that is happening with Sasha? Is it worth trying a food specifically for upset tummies or seniors? 

 

I think I might put her back on RC .... she had it  a while ago after a bad bout of tummy troubles, might grab a couple of tins today and she how she goes.

I do think your right though... her digestion probably has changed now that she is older.

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It's tough when they get older. :(.    The probiotic powder is worth a try .. even if only on the principle if it does no good it will do no harm.   You could also try some mashed pumpkin in with her meal .. that seems to be abnle to help firm up stools.  

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Malcolm had an ironclad stomach as a youngin but developed IBD & Lymphangiectasia a couple of years ago. I can understand your vet not wanting to do diagnostics if they can be avoided, but you could treat it as a GI illness and see how she responds. So probiotics (get a special animal one not yoghurt - you want the right cultures for dogs), diet (Malcolm is on RC GI low fat, could also do a novel protein or hydrolysed protein diet trial), stress reduction if that’s a factor, and you could ask your vet about seeing if she responds to a course of metronidazole or tylan. Muscular skeletal problems also have an impact on Mal (mainly with urinating though), so you could consider a rehab vet or physio?

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*breathe* I just went to have a shower and was only in there less than 10 minutes and I walked out wrapped in a towel and she had pooped on the slate floor...I didn’t see it as I wasn’t wearing my glasses (blind as a bat)  and I stepped in it and of course I jumped and spread it everywhere :doh:One good thing was it was normal. So clean up poop and another shower , be glad to go to work tbh :laugh:  She had only been outside 30 minutes before and she was fast asleep on my bed when I went to have a shower so thought I was pretty safe :( 

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49 minutes ago, Papillon Kisses said:

Malcolm had an ironclad stomach as a youngin but developed IBD & Lymphangiectasia a couple of years ago. I can understand your vet not wanting to do diagnostics if they can be avoided, but you could treat it as a GI illness and see how she responds. So probiotics (get a special animal one not yoghurt - you want the right cultures for dogs), diet (Malcolm is on RC GI low fat, could also do a novel protein or hydrolysed protein diet trial), stress reduction if that’s a factor, and you could ask your vet about seeing if she responds to a course of metronidazole or tylan. Muscular skeletal problems also have an impact on Mal (mainly with urinating though), so you could consider a rehab vet or physio?

Today’s poo was normal.. that’s the thing, one day it’s normal and the next it’s not ... very puzzling.

I will talk to my Vet about it ... thanks :)

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Who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks !

I bought a baby gate with a door connecting the hallway to the lounge but Sasha didn’t want to go through the door at first.. it freaked her out.

So I rolled her ball up the hallway and in and out of the gate and after a couple of minutes she was walking through like a pro !I think also she saw Lacey walking through so she put her big pants on lol. Being a white gate it’s also stopping her from walking into the corner of the wall which is another bonus :)  

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3 hours ago, Snook said:

That's great to hear! I hope all has been clear on the poop front since the other day. :)

All clear :) but that’s the normal pattern ... she will be ok for a few days and then an accident.

Its been less stressful for her and me having the gate :) 

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 20/09/2020 at 9:42 AM, Snook said:

How are things going with Sasha? 

Sorry Snook  I forget to check my posts sometimes :doh:

She is doing ok... since I have had the gate up she has only done 2 accidents ... I have newspaper on the floor just for an easy clean up.

Her stools are still up and down.. ok one day but sloppy the next.

I know this post is about stools but I have noticed over the past 2 weeks her back legs are starting to go on her... she will step outside the sliding door that has a little ledge and her back legs go from under her causing her to stumble and she can’t get back up by herself.

I know I need to take her to the vet but I’m worried she won’t come home... it’s silly I know but I just want her here with me, I mean if she was unwell of course I would take her but she is still eating, drinking, loves her gentle walk ... just feeling sad today for my girl.

 

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52 minutes ago, Snook said:

I'm so sorry that Sasha is struggling with her back legs. It must be very hard to see her fall and be unable to get up. :(

 

Going back to @Papillon Kisses suggestion of CCD, I've seen quite a bit of discussion in the CCD group I'm in about back end weakness in dogs with CCD. I understand your fear of taking Sasha to the vet but it might be worth trying it anyway, in case there's something they can do to help support her and give her more time with you? :kissbetter:

Do you have a link Snook ? 
I will take her this week or next .. depends whenever I can get an appointment.

Thanks for understanding :) 

Edited by Sashas Mum
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As you’ll see in the group, there is treatment for CCD (not cures, but treating symptoms, delaying progression, & improving QOL) such as medications, supplements, special diets, behaviour management & modification, and enrichment. :heart: 

http://www.crosspaws.com.au/resources/Canine-Cognitive-Dysfunction-Kersti-Seksel.pdf

https://dogdementia.com/

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4 hours ago, Papillon Kisses said:

As you’ll see in the group, there is treatment for CCD (not cures, but treating symptoms, delaying progression, & improving QOL) such as medications, supplements, special diets, behaviour management & modification, and enrichment. :heart: 

http://www.crosspaws.com.au/resources/Canine-Cognitive-Dysfunction-Kersti-Seksel.pdf

https://dogdementia.com/

Thanks :)

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  • 2 weeks later...

Thought I would do an update with Sasha...

The gate has been a success ... she has only done 3-4 accidents since I installed it, one was diarrhoea :/ what a mess but at least it wasn’t on the carpet.

Her normal diet is diced beef and Blackhawk fish and potato and cooked chicken breast as a treat which she has had for a few years with no problem but decided to cut out the chicken and no more sloppy/watery poos.. so she must have developed a age related allergy to it :shrug: it’s only been a week but it looks good so far.

She still has the odd accident inside but at least it’s normal so I will take that as an improvement :) 

We have a Vet appointment on Thursday afternoon .. I will get some bloods done to see where we are at.

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