Collitis?
by Sue & Sophia
ORIGINAL MESSAGE:
My puppy Sophia is 6 1/2 months all and has had no health problems, until last weekend. She didn't exactly have diarrhea, but had to go every hour or 2..this started at about 4am..then again at 7 am, and 8am or so. Then about 1/2 later she went again and I saw a little blood..I took her to the vet and brought a stool sample. He checked it for parasites and said there were none and that it was colitis! He said from something she ate or from stress! She is a poor eater, though she does scrounge around a bit, including in the litter box! But she is a very happy and spoiled pup and it couldn't be stress. Well, he gave me a pill (Antibiotic?) called sulfasalazine. She was better by the next day, and I stopped the pill on the advice of the vet the day after that. That was 4 days ago, and though she doesn't have the "runs" again, her stool is look mushy again. If it looks the same tomorrow, I will call the vet again, but was wondering if anyone has experienced this? I am worried from reading some posts on sudden illnesses that have had tragic outcomes.
DISCUSSION:
Sue, my Skippy was having episodes of diarrhea with blood in it and was checked for worms several times, even treating for a kind that is hard to find in stool and on several different antibiotics. The antibiotics seemed to work for awhile, but he always went back to the diarrhea and blood. Sophia's doesn't sound so severe. My little guy has irritable bowel disease. He is almost 8 months old and this is very rare in young puppies, not so uncommon in older dogs. I have to give him Metamucil twice a day and that has relieved his problem, had it not, he would have had to go to a specialist for further work. This isn't a fatal problem-Thank God-and for now it's under control. If she keeps it up, maybe suggest that to your vet. Good Luck!
Lynn and Skippy
Make sure your pup does not eat from the kitty litter box. This alone can cause serious bowel problems. Even if the stool sample reveals no parasites I would still treat the pup with Nemex 11 which is suitable for very young puppies for hookworms. Hooks shed in the stools in showers and you can have negative microscopics even with an infestation. Your vet can confirm this. Hooks can do serious damage to Maltese and other tiny breeds.
Mary Lou
Sue, the very same thing happened to me with Noah. My vet also said the same thing yours did and even perscribed the same medicine. Noah was having terrible abdominal cramps. He was so pitiful. Do not let your baby eat the cat litter or anything else except his puppy food until you get this cleared up. Noah had several episodes with this. As it turns out, he could no longer tolerate the food he was eating. I switched him to Eukanuba lamb & rice (dry) and he cleared right up. It is a little lower in fat and it is less likely to cause food allergy. Noah loves it. He does have a sensitive tummy as do many Maltese so that is mostly what he eats, now. Ask your vet about giving the lamb & rice a try.
April B
Hi Sue, worms may be the problem, especially if Sophia likes to eat cat poop like the Beasties do(yuk!). The Beasties had something similar and the vet diagnosed whipworm.....I indignantly said "their worming is up to date (all-wormer every 3 months and Sentinal once a month) how can they have worms?" That's when I found out that the worming treatment is a purge, not a preventative. Also, products like Sentinel apparently only keep worm numbers low enough to give a negative stool test, they don't wipe them out from the gut(and of course are ineffective against tapeworms). The Beasties were given a dose of allwormer and no more blood and mucus! The vet said to give a second dose one week later to be sure. Squirrel has always had "mashed potato" consistency stools (sorry, I know this is gross!) and I recently put the Beasties on Missing Link......his stools firmed up straight away! Hope this helps.
Deanna (Moose & Squirrel)
Thanks for your replies...she seems to be OK for now, but I have written down your suggestions. Is "missing link" a type of food? Sounds like a few blind dates I been on! I do give her Eukanuba, but mixed with the canned. I have an extremely hard time getting her to eat. I've been giving her puppy max mixed with eukanuba. I've tried Science Diet which she doesn't like either. She seems a little more receptive to Iams and Triumph. I've been experimenting with the food after the diarrhea episode, so it's not from changing food. I'm also mixing the new foods with the puppy max so her tummy doesn't get upset from suddenly changing brands. Has anyone else with a picky eater had luck with a particular brand of food? Thanks again for you responses..it always comforting to know that others have had the same experiences.
Sue & Sophia
Missing Link is a supplement that allegedly supplies nutrients missing from commercial diets. (LOL re the blind dates!!) These nutrients are in a "real form" not synthetic, so are supposed to be better assimilated than the synthetic supplements. There are probably other brands that are similar. You have to be very careful to mix it in well with food or it can make them throw up (a couple of others on this forum had trouble with this, but we have had no problems. Everyone has their own favourite food....not sure if the food survey is still available on the main MO page? The Beasties eat Innova and really enjoy that, but they aren't picky any more and would probably eat anything, LOL!
Deanna (Moose & Squirrel)
| Please bear in mind when reading topics pertaining to health issues, that most of these questions were answered by helpful Maltese owners with no formal education in veterinary medicine. When in doubt seek a professionals advise. |
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