 A Great Dane with chronic intermittent diarrhoea
#375198 - 03/16/2013 11:11 AM |
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We've been to the vet (no parasites), done the 24 fast followed by the white rice only X 24 hrs.,
start back on the limited ingredient kibble, good for a few days or a week and back to the yellow mucousy diarrhoea. He is always enthusiastic about food and doesn't act sick...but what the heck?!! It seems to come and go spontaneously with no change in diet or routine. Good for a few weeks or days and then relapse.
He was a rescue dog that we've had for over a year and came with parasites and diarrhoea. Could his first two years before we got him have a bearing on this?
Help (I'd add a crying icon if I knew how!) Kim
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Re: A Great Dane with chronic intermittent diarrhoea
[Re: Kim Winsor ]
#375199 - 03/16/2013 11:19 AM |
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What did he have when he came? Coccidiosis? Giardiasis?
How was it treated?
How was the parasite test done this time? One test? Multiple tests over 3 or 4 days?
How's his weight and body condition?
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Re: A Great Dane with chronic intermittent diarrhoea
[Re: Kim Winsor ]
#375200 - 03/16/2013 11:33 AM |
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He had giardia, worms and fleas treated with a 10 day course of Flagyl and was given Drontal for tape worms and Virbantal for round worms in Nov. 2011 when we got him.
They did a single fecal test last week for parasites but found nothing. He is never out alone so I'm not sure where he would pick any up. The stool sample is v. mucousy (and yellow) which, I understand, is indicative of the problem being in the large bowel.
He weighs about 70 kgs. (sorry--154 lbs.) from a high last fall of 165 lbs. but the vet has said that his condition and weight are both good.
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Re: A Great Dane with chronic intermittent diarrhoea
[Re: Kim Winsor ]
#375201 - 03/16/2013 11:39 AM |
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....any dietary recommendations? Do I put him back on the plain white rice every time? If I fast him every time, he'll not get to eat very often....
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Re: A Great Dane with chronic intermittent diarrhoea
[Re: Kim Winsor ]
#375202 - 03/16/2013 01:17 PM |
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He had giardia, worms and fleas treated with a 10 day course of Flagyl and was given Drontal for tape worms and Virbantal for round worms in Nov. 2011 when we got him.
They did a single fecal test last week for parasites but found nothing. He is never out alone so I'm not sure where he would pick any up. The stool sample is v. mucousy (and yellow) which, I understand, is indicative of the problem being in the large bowel.
He weighs about 70 kgs. (sorry--154 lbs.) from a high last fall of 165 lbs. but the vet has said that his condition and weight are both good.
What does the vet suggest as a tentative diagnosis? It's true that just having diarrhea can cause poop to be yellowish, but he has a history to consider too.
You know that one fecal is very often negative even when a dog does have a giardia infection (which is why I asked if several were done over 3-4 days), and that giardiasis can recur even with a negative followup after the first infection?
Is the poop an unusually foul odor? Does it seem greasy and/or pale?
Did the dog drop that 10 pounds rapidly? Is the dog acting very hungry? There are other yellowish-poop possibilities as well besides giardiasis. But with this history .....
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Re: A Great Dane with chronic intermittent diarrhoea
[Re: Kim Winsor ]
#375205 - 03/16/2013 01:13 PM |
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Rule out your giardia, coccidia, internal parasites. In this huge dog it maybe pays to run a fecal as the Flagyl is going to be super expensive-even the deworming agents will be pricey.
USUALLY what you describe is parasites or an intestinal infection of some sort ---- usually. Especially if the dog is feeling fine.
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Re: A Great Dane with chronic intermittent diarrhoea
[Re: Betty Landercasp ]
#375206 - 03/16/2013 01:23 PM |
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I was hoping you'd see this, Betty.
Rule out your giardia, coccidia, internal parasites.
Scroll to “How do we diagnose giardiasis?”
QUOTE: Tests on serial stool samples (one stool sample every day for three days) are often required to find the organism. Special diagnostic procedures, beyond a routine fecal examination, are necessary to identify Giardia.
This is why I was asking about the test:
You know that one fecal is very often negative even when a dog does have a giardia infection (which is why I asked if several were done over 3-4 days), and that giardiasis can recur even with a negative followup after the first infection?
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Re: A Great Dane with chronic intermittent diarrhoea
[Re: Betty Landercasp ]
#375207 - 03/16/2013 02:17 PM |
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.... it maybe pays to run a fecal as the Flagyl is going to be super expensive
I never even thought about the cost factor in the decision about running down the diagnosis or going ahead and treating with Flagyl for such a big dog. 
Edited by Connie Sutherland (03/16/2013 02:17 PM)
Edit reason: added: "for such a big dog"
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Re: A Great Dane with chronic intermittent diarrhoea
[Re: Kim Winsor ]
#375208 - 03/16/2013 03:18 PM |
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The cleaning up of the environment is key too - and can be a problem if you have a big dog with diarrhea in a relatively small yard.
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Re: A Great Dane with chronic intermittent diarrhoea
[Re: Kim Winsor ]
#375218 - 03/16/2013 07:51 PM |
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Thank you for the input. The vet said to call back if the diarrhoea continued or came back. The Flagyl was only $3 for a three day course (the fecal exam, in contrast, was $32.80 for one analysis)
The vet didn't really give me a diagnosis other than that it was most likely large bowel due to the mucous. (It doesn't smell particularly foul....any more than his regular stools do). It isn't greasy or pale.
I don't believe that he lost the 10 lbs. rapidly. I was actually surprised to see that he had lost weight at all and the vet commented that he wouldn't want to see him weigh much more than he does at present.
I have been keeping on top of the environmental clean-up although the sight of me in the neighbourhood scraping at the ground with my sad little flushable bag must amuse some.
On the plus side, they are not clogging the toilet the way they normally do.
I will give the vet a call on Monday.
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