Connie: no diagnosis yet. This is just to rule out things. If he has responded to the meds and if fine, we will have to assess the food situation. His meds are to coat his stomach and help sooth it. And to cut down the acid in it. He could have acid reflux but we aren't sure yet. If he isn't fine after all the meds are gone, we will also have to assess the food situation, give him something he has never eaten before and see if this is food allergy related. My husband and I are thinking that if he isn't better when the meds are removed that we should think about getting the scope done, just so we rule out anything really bad. Not sure if the meds are masking symptoms.
That is what is so hard, we do not really have any answers.
Thanks connie for all your help sharon

"That is what is so hard, we do not really have any answers."


VERY frustrating.

Connie: my latest find re the parasite. This parasite does not cause dogs any intestinal trouble.
Here is what I found would kill the parasite:
Intestinal sarcocystosis can be prevented by thoroughly cooking or freezing meat to kill bradyzoites in the sarcocysts. Sarcocysts in pig muscles were rendered noninfectious for puppies after cooking meat at 60, 70, and 100°C for 20, 15, and 5 min, respectively (45). Freezing at –4 and –20°C for 48 and 24 h, respectively, also rendered bradyzoites in pork noninfectious (45). Beef and beef products purchased from a supermarket reflected the laboratory results of cooking and freezing (28). Fresh chuck roast and round steak, as well as rare roast beef and hamburger, contained bradyzoites infectious for dogs. Cooked products such as beef bologna and beef frankfurters, as well as frozen hamburger and frozen flaked sandwich steaks, were not infectious for dogs.

My new vet sent me an email and he believes it is the raw diet where the parasite came from. I told him I freeze our meat. He stated the parasite may be dead, it may be dormant, but it will still be there. I guess he means passed through to the ground. We do not have any other domestic animals like cattle pigs or sheep, so there is not danger there.
The internist is going to call me today or tomorrow and i will see what she says.
I am going to send the regular new vet the info I have found.

So, if it wasn't the meat and it was brought in by skunk, racoon, or opossum, there is really nothing you can do. If my dogs find the skat first, they will probably eat it.

thanks again. sharon

 Quote: Sharon Empson

Connie: my latest find re the parasite. This parasite does not cause dogs any intestinal trouble.

This other thread, you mean?

http://leerburg.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/322061/page/0/fpart/1

Yes, several posts detailed the extreme unlikelihood of Sarcocystsis sporocysts being behind his symptoms.

It's not that it does not cause dogs any intestinal trouble; it's more that it's present in many dogs (the dogs are hosts), but that to actually make an adult dog ill would be due to preexisting immunosuppression.

Please, posts about this (Sarcocystsis sporocysts ) go here:

http://leerburg.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=322111&page=0#Post322111

Sharon, it would be much easier if you don't start a new thread for each possibility for the trigger of Cody's intestinal upset. Thanks.