This morning we noted Strider having problems defecating. As the morning progressed he was straining with nothing happening. A few minutes later we're out again, strain strain and a little watery stinky comes out.
Okay I've had enough, I call the vet. They've got nothing for me till 4:15 this afternoon. So I'm relegated to watching closely to make sure things don't get really blown out of proportion. Fine I can do that.
About an hour and a half or so after the phone call, Strider finally passed something. Not much perhaps a couple of heaping tablespoons worth, maybe more. Kinda stringy looking stuff. Anyways once or twice shortly after he tried again, but nothing at all. And hasn't even been interested in squatting since. Seems active enough, eating plenty of snow but not drinking a lot of water.
I called the vet to confirm my appointment and was told, get this, if I thought it was an emergency they couldn't do anything there at that time of day anyways. Well no, I didn't think it's an emergency....yet. But I'm thinking why am I talking to you? Whoever was on the other end of the phone kept talking about diarrhea.
Okay for the question. I haven't fed him a thing all day. HE IS HUNGRY. Should I starve him tonight, or give him something to help soften anything that may be left in there? Rice and hamburg? Pumkin? His regular evening feeding? Just some yogurt?
Any ideas on cleaning out this guys pipes?

If it were me, I would hold food. Maybe give a little pumpkin if anything... With my puppy's initial digestive issues, I had to fast him on a few ocassions. I felt like an absolute WITCH! And he was ready to chew his own leg off! But until you know what's going on inside, I'd hold off on the food. A good 24 hour fast shouldn't hurt him. There's obviously something going on inside his gut that needs worked out.

I just re-read your post and I'm thinking maybe you could encourage him to drink more with some baited water. If he had runny stool in the morning, he could probably use some hydration. And the extra water in his belly maight help with the hunger.

Edited by Jessica Pedicord (12/14/2009 05:08 PM)
Edit reason: second thought...

Typically, constipation is due to too little food, and diarrhea too much. I would feed him, unless you have a good hunch that you shouldn't. If he is still acting normal, I don't see the harm in it. Is there anything else you can think to add? If he hasn't eaten anything all day, I'm not sure there's a reason to go any longer w/out feeding him if you've not seen anything else to suggest doing so.

By stringy, what do you mean? Mucousy? I have seen that just from straining on occasion. Did he eat an inordinate amount of bone perhaps? Could he have eaten anything you didn't see? Blockages scare me.

I would probably give him whatever he is used to eating, minus the bone, as bone firms stools. Pumpkin never hurts, either. See what comes out late tonight or in the morning and go from there. Unfortunately, you really don't have a whole lot of info to go on yet.

Could it be parasite-related? Has he been swimming? Drinking from puddles?

And another thing...don't break that gorgeous puppy or I'll sic his Mommy on you!

Is there any chance he ate something that could be causing a blockage?
If not.....
Yogurt and pumpkin would be a good thing IMO, or maybe no salt added green beans for some fiber and filler.

Just reread your post, Randy. I missed "watery" before. Even though he's straining, if it's watery, it's still diarrhea, IMO. So, disregard what I said. I would def. feed pumpkin, chicken, and depending on your analysis of what did come out and your gut insticts, perhaps a few other things for filler/fiber so he doesn't feel starving.

My question about parasites (Coccidia, Giardia) stands.

Randy, did that mean you don't have a vet appointment? How are the chances that he ate something that could cause an obstruction?

After the last few days, I can see getting too much bone. Me or the dogs haven't been able to walk out the door without ice skates on before today.
And there's really not a doubt he could've eaten something I don't know about, but all the socks are still accounted for and no remnants of any t-shirts laying about. However he always has something in his mouth, though rarely to actually eat.

I've got no issues with fasting him for 24 hours, I'm believer in doing it once and awhile anyways. But if he still has anything in there I want it out, it may need softening or some cushioning.
The stuff that came out this morning was a stingy something or another amongst soft pudding like matter.

Send Capri along Jenni. Be happy to let her check out Strider. You just might not see her again, Capri and I would get along fine.

When Nico has been constipated I have seen that sort of watery stuff come out a few times before the hard stool comes out.

Yeah yeah Connie,
We have an appointment for tomorrow morning 8:45, the vet will actually be availiable for anything that needs attending then.
I just elected not to go in this evening as they couldn't do anything but send me to the er anyways. Rightly or wrongly I kinda feel I can make that kind of call on my own.

If he passes anything tonight that looks worth while, I'll cancel and the vet can have a extra coffee break on me.

 Quote: randy allen

Yeah yeah Connie,
We have an appointment for tomorrow morning 8:45, the vet will actually be availiable for anything that needs attending then.
I just elected not to go in this evening as they couldn't do anything but send me to the er anyways. Rightly or wrongly I kinda feel I can make that kind of call on my own.

If he passes anything tonight that looks worth while, I'll cancel and the vet can have a extra coffee break on me.

Then I'd probably give some plain canned pumpkin tonight (not pie filling). It bulks up the stool, making it good for either kind of poop problem. And either way (constipation or diarrhea) needs plenty of water: constipation to soften up the stool, and diarrhea to replace water coming out in the form of pudding.

So I'd probably mix some of the pumpkin in the water (unless he hates pumpkin; mine all love it) to make the water attractive.