Thank you for your post. It has given us a ray of hope…no matter how small. We have gone for a second opinion and the 2nd vet is doing a complete work-up, including a 'seizure blood testing'. Hoping that even if the result is still a tumor we might be lucky to have 2-3 more years with our boy.
Ruby's Under the Weather - A Couple of Questions
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Actually her food was changed (very slowly) many months ago, but I thought I'd mix it up by using a small amount of other food in her kong. Guess that might not have been a good idea after all.
Thanks for the info about the bland diet…I'll give it a go starting tomorrow night.
A change, or different food usually isn't enough to cause that kind of reaction. She probably got a 'bad' bully stick…those things can grow bacteria pretty quick. Or maybe she got a little virus. It happens occasionally.
I think your plan sounds good, withold regular food...bland diet...plenty of water. She should be fine in a day or so.
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Is she looking for food? If she is, it would not hurt to give her a little… brown rice only... and the main thing with a bland diet is NO fat.... so you can even use no fat cottage cheese if you want.... I many times will mix rice, boil/drained ground meat, and cottage cheese... and give in little meals during the day to see how they do... but sounds like she will be fine soon!!! and it is the best news that she is drinking....
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Is she looking for food? If she is, it would not hurt to give her a little… brown rice only... and the main thing with a bland diet is NO fat.... so you can even use no fat cottage cheese if you want.... I many times will mix rice, boil/drained ground meat, and cottage cheese... and give in little meals during the day to see how they do... but sounds like she will be fine soon!!! and it is the best news that she is drinking....
Yes, she is looking for food…just like she always is :D...that's one of the reasons I'm hopeful it isn't anything serious, she has been acting completely normal. Thanks for this post...I'm working from home today and think I'll try a little rice mid morning.
I really appreciate your help.
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A change, or different food usually isn't enough to cause that kind of reaction. She probably got a 'bad' bully stick…those things can grow bacteria pretty quick. Or maybe she got a little virus. It happens occasionally.
I think your plan sounds good, withold regular food...bland diet...plenty of water. She should be fine in a day or so.
Interesting to know about the bully sticks growing bacteria. I usually buy them 3 - 4 at a time, which lasts about a month. Do you think it would be better to not do that and only buy them as I need them? I keep them in a dry place and I only use the Red Barn ones…they don't stink as bad as the cheaper ones :D. I tried some organic bully sticks but Ruby wouldn't touch them...not tasty/smelly enough for her :rolleyes:.
Unfortunately, bully sticks seem to be the only chew thing that Ruby will touch...I've tried every chew toy under the sun at this point and she's not interested in them at all.
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Interesting to know about the bully sticks growing bacteria. I usually buy them 3 - 4 at a time, which lasts about a month. Do you think it would be better to not do that and only buy them as I need them? I keep them in a dry place and I only use the Red Barn ones…they don't stink as bad as the cheaper ones :D. I tried some organic bully sticks but Ruby wouldn't touch them...not tasty/smelly enough for her :rolleyes:.
Unfortunately, bully sticks seem to be the only chew thing that Ruby will touch...I've tried every chew toy under the sun at this point and she's not interested in them at all.
I have never had a problem with the bully sticks from Red Barn.. but "stuff" happens… gggg... I would just chalk it up as a tummy upset... happens....:)
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So far, so good today…I fed Ruby a small amount (about a 1/4 cup) of rice/boiled hamburg around 10am...no problem. I fed her about the same amount around 1pm (this time with a tiny bit of pumpkin) and still no problem. I'll feed her again in another 3-4 hours. She ate like she's never had food before :D, so there's nothing wrong with her appetite. She is still drinking water occasionally and always with food).
It's freezing here so she's just been lying in front of the fire most of the day (normal when the stove is running). She's been outside a bunch and has pee'd but no poop.
I'm crossing my fingers (and her paws :D) that the worst is over.
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I'm crossing my fingers (and her paws :D) that the worst is over.
Sounds like you've had your share of mess, I hope the worst is over for you too.;)
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Sounds like you've had your share of mess, I hope the worst is over for you too.;)
Thanks!!!
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So far, so good today…I fed Ruby a small amount (about a 1/4 cup) of rice/boiled hamburg around 10am...no problem. I fed her about the same amount around 1pm (this time with a tiny bit of pumpkin) and still no problem. I'll feed her again in another 3-4 hours. She ate like she's never had food before :D, so there's nothing wrong with her appetite. She is still drinking water occasionally and always with food).
It's freezing here so she's just been lying in front of the fire most of the day (normal when the stove is running). She's been outside a bunch and has pee'd but no poop.
I'm crossing my fingers (and her paws :D) that the worst is over.
Sounds good, one thing however… I would use ground turkey and/or ground chicken... it really is easier on the gut then hamburger....
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Sounds good, one thing however… I would use ground turkey and/or ground chicken... it really is easier on the gut then hamburger....
Thanks, I plan on getting some tomorrow. However, today I needed to use what I had in the house as I didn't want to leave her (even for an hour to go to the store considering how quickly it all went wrong yesterday). The only other thing I had was ground bison…but I was afraid to use that. Trust me, I was lucky I had rice in the house ;).
I'll have some emergency supplies in the future. :rolleyes: that's for sure.
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I'm curious how long the soft stool continues once they are on the bland diet (I switched to boiled ground turkey instead of ground beef)…so boiled brown rice & ground turkey and a spoonful of pumpkin. I've been feeding her 3 times a day (1/4 cup amounts). The last 2 nights she woke me up every 3 hours to have me take her out. The stool is very soft & runny, but not water like was the original problem...could the pumpkin keep it runny? The poop is pumpkin coloured. She's still eating fine, taking water, running around and acting normal.
I'm wondering if I should still be doing the small meals...she is normally fed once per day.
Just a reminder of the timeline of this...the whole water diarrhea was Tuesday & Wednesday, Wednesday I didn't feed her at all. Thursday - Saturday I fed her bland diet (3x day, 1/4 cup amounts).
I'm planning on taking her to the vet on Monday just to be checked.
In the meantime, I thought I'd ask...should I be seeing more improvement by now, or because it was so bad Tuesday & Wednesday might it take longer.
I just don't know. Thanks!
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I would not be feeding the pumpkin at this point at all… just the rice and turkey.. and really because it has no fat, you should have very little stool, however that said they will usually be to the soft side... Also I never agreed with feeding once a day, I believe that twice is much better for them.. and small amounts, I do at regular feeding times...
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I would not be feeding the pumpkin at this point at all… just the rice and turkey.. and really because it has no fat, you should have very little stool, however that said they will usually be to the soft side... Also I never agreed with feeding once a day, I believe that twice is much better for them.. and small amounts, I do at regular feeding times...
Thanks Pat…I was hoping you were online this morning ;).
Yes, there is very little stool, so I'm glad that is normal and that being soft is ok as well. I'll stop the pumpkin. Do you think I should add cottage cheese, or just keep it at the rice/turkey.
And yes, I had planned on switching her to 2x per day feedings but just had not done it. So thanks!
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I'm curious how long the soft stool continues once they are on the bland diet (I switched to boiled ground turkey instead of ground beef)…so boiled brown rice & ground turkey and a spoonful of pumpkin. I've been feeding her 3 times a day (1/4 cup amounts). The last 2 nights she woke me up every 3 hours to have me take her out. The stool is very soft & runny, but not water like was the original problem...could the pumpkin keep it runny? The poop is pumpkin coloured. She's still eating fine, taking water, running around and acting normal.
Small, soft stool is not unusual on a bland diet but the waking you up every 3 hours to go out is not usual. It sounds like she picked up a stomach bug.
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Small, soft stool is not unusual on a bland diet but the waking you up every 3 hours to go out is not usual. It sounds like she picked up a stomach bug.
Good to know…thanks! Does it seem odd, that she would still have the bug 5 days later? BTW, she has not vomited at all.
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Yeah, I think I would take her to the vet on Monday. That is a lot of days to have loose feces. Especially the kind that requires to be taken out in the middle of the night. She may have a bacterial thing going on in her gut.
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Yeah, I think I would take her to the vet on Monday. That is a lot of days to have loose feces. Especially the kind that requires to be taken out in the middle of the night. She may have a bacterial thing going on in her gut.
Thanks Andrea!! I'll definitely take her in on Monday.
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Good to know…thanks! Does it seem odd, that she would still have the bug 5 days later? BTW, she has not vomited at all.
It is not odd that this still could be going on, especially if she has Giardia which is the most common bug…. medication will put her right pretty quick...
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It is not odd that this still could be going on, especially if she has Giardia which is the most common bug…. medication will put her right pretty quick...
Thanks again Pat…I'll be taking her to the vet tomorrow.
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Let us know how she is doing…. good news is that she is eating and drinking... leads me to think Giardia...
