9 Month Old GSD with Weak Hindlegs - Page 13

LOL, I'm not a raw prosthelytizer. I feed raw, it's not my religion. I agree that the OP should start with boiled chicken.

Gautam:
Your dog's system is very stressed from the chronic diarrhea. This can cause the blood, as well as a fever from dehydration. Did your vet check for dehydration? Make sure he is getting plenty of fluids. The boiled chicken and rice will also help with that somewhat, at least more than the dry kibble. Ask your vet about giving subcutaneous fluids: http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/cliented/dog_fluids.aspx

When my dog got to this point, I started periodically just treating the symptom (diarrhea) rather than trying to figure out the cause. I did this so that his body could somewhat rest and gain weight in between the months and months of trying different antibiotics, dewormers, rectal exams.... Ask your vet if there is some kind of medication you can use to at least minimize the diarrhea for a time. I used immodium, but you might want to try something else.

Well if you remember correctly Markobytes, there was no reason to think there was anything wrong with him to begin with as the only info we had to draw upon was a video.  While everyone was telling the OP to take him to the vet because there must be something wrong with him based on the video, I personally didn’t see any reason to take the dog to the vet as his demeanor appeared to me to be just fine in the video.   Nothing seemed wrong other than his structural problems which are probably genetic.  Of course, even after seeing the first vet, which told the OP there was nothing wrong with him health-wise, the OP, convinced there must be something wrong with him, started self medicating the dog based on the suggestions from this forum. 

The OP then HAD to take the dog to a new vet because blood started appearing in the stools and look where we are now; a sick dog and the OP is still self medicating beyond what even the second vet has advised.  Do you need any more summary of what has happened up to now that I need to re-explain to you?  Because I am still of the opinion if the OP would have just left the damn dog alone to begin with he probably would have been just fine.  Now if you still got a problem with that I’m all ears.

Maywood, what part of the vet also suspecting malabsorbtion issues did you not understand? Hey ho. Maywood, if the vet wanted to try a fdifferent food to eliminate a food reaction he wouldn't choose Eukanuba as the ingredients are not significantly different from most other standard kibbles. He would (if he had any knowledge of such things, as you would know) choose something with a novel protein and carb source, like salmon and potato.

Anyway - Gautam, firstly I am confused. I thought you had switched Mervin onto raw meat some while back? Or were you just supplementing his kibble with raw meat? Are you still doing that?  Now you say you have him on one cup of Royal Canin 3 times a day. TBH one cup 3 X a day isn't going to be putting any weight on your boy, I would have thought you would be lucky if he maintained his weight on that amount. You are trying to play catch up with his weight, so you should be aiming for weight gain.  Also, Creon 25 with one cup of food seems high (I will bow to Eldee on this as she actually uses Creon, and as she says, too much can have the same effect as too little).  If it were my dog I would be feeding 2 cups per meal, but using the same amount of Creon per meal. The images of the 'poop' do not resemble EPI, but then wouldn't if he is receiving enzymes, so that could be a red herring, and if he has an infection into the bargain that will cloud the issue, but hopefully the antibiotics will clear that up.

MollyandJack's post is a good one. The digestive issue could be one of food intolerance, and switching to chicken and rice can do no harm, it is always the first thing we do when any dog has a digestive upset. You could still try that with the Creon 25 and if it is working well you could later try without the Creon to eliminate or confirm EPI. TLI testing would be better though if it can be sent away to a lab so that you know precisely what you are dealing with. What did the vet say about EPI? Does he still think it is a possibility?

Why exactly does the vet think you are not caring properly for your pup? What specifically does he think you are doing wrong?  

Mervin looks much brighter in himself. Could be because he is managing to make use of more of his food at least now. I see has gained a couple of kilos, but not enough. Digestive issues EPI, Irritable bowel, Food Allergies, can be quite difficult to pin down and resolve - and are usually accomplished by trial and error by tweaking various elements over a period of time - so don't give up.  But do try and find out whether you can get a TLI test sent off somewhere.
 

Maywood...the dog had intermittent loose stools and loss of muscle mass long before the addition of the enzymes, according to the OP. The pictures posted on September 14th show that the dog is lacking in muscle mass along the spine, the thighs, the chest, as well as possibly a loss of muscle around the head/jawline. The dog looks frail and it has nothing to do with his angulation. I do agree that too much is being put into the dog's system all at once...best to eliminate one thing at a time.

Maywood - you need to re-read. Gautam did not take the dog to a new vet because blood started appearing in the stools. He took him to the City vet some time back, the blood in the stools is a recent event and appears to be due to an infection. Do get your facts right.

Oh boy, here we go again!  All of these experts making all of these big, outlandish decisions from pictures and videos and words.  I swear you all  have a very hard time reading between the lines of what is really happening here.  Anyway, to each his own I guess.

Ugh.  Again with the egos people? 

OP - Everyone on this post has valid points and need to be taken into consideration.

1.  Blood in stool is a bad thing.  This indicates your dog's digestive system is out of whack and in a very serious way.
2.  Stop all medication, except exactly what your vet has given.  Everyone on here means well, but WE HAVE NOT SEEN YOUR DOG.  Only your vet has.  When it comes to giving a dog chemicals (medication is chemicals, no matter the pretty words) only go with the professional who has actually seen the dog.  Chemicals can be very bad if not given correctly and under the right diagnosis.
             The medication suggestions from this group are good.  Offer them to your vet, but do not take matters into your own hands here.
3.  I too would hesitate when a vet recommends a diet that they sell in their office.  Case in point, one of my vets has Science Diet in his office.  I guarantee, if I took your dog to my vet, he would suggest Science Diet.
4.  That said (# 3), ask questions and have your vet justify the suggestion for the diet.
             a.  Why this food?
             b.  What is the goal to have the dog eat this over that?
             c.  How soon can I expect to see the difference?
             d.  Is this a permanent change?  Again, why is this brand better than yours?
             These are fair questions, that a good vet will willingly answer.
5.  A good vet will recognize that the dog's digestive system is seriously out of whack.  They should be ok with the suggestion of a very plain diet to get the dog's system to settle down.  The boiled chicken and rice is the best.  I will stand by, if the vet has an issue with this diet for 24 - 48 hours and nothing valid to back it up (like a known allergy), the vet is not worth your time.  Find another.
6.  Once the dog's digestive system has had a chance to settle (24 - 72 hours), then slowly start the road of solution and recovery; ALL WITH THE GUIDANCE OF A VET that has seen the dog and is willing to give you good treatment.

For the others on this thread, I highly respect most of you (some I have no experience with).  Please do not take what I have said above to be mean.  My only concern (as for all of us) is the dog.  I hope that I have earned your respect enough that you will not shut me down and not offer your good advice to me in the future.

I remember the third visit to my vet after Maya was on Tylan for the second time, the vet just kept scratching her head wondering what to do.  Coccidia (spelling ) she thought and prescribed amoxycillin and told me to feed Maya nothing but chicken and rice. I did that for two weeks and the diarahea never quit. There was no dog food left to try at that point.  Finally, what turned her around was the Prescription Royal Canin Gastro Intestinal food and the enzymes.

I wonder if you can buy this food in India?? Might be worth a try, at this point I don't know what to say. 

I'm spent.

amoxycillin  for coccidiosis...........??
 

Many species of coccidia infect the intestinal tract of dogs. All species appear to be host-specific.  Dogs have species of Isospora , Hammondia , and Sarcocystis . Neither dogs nor cats have Eimeria .

Hammondia has an obligatory 2-host life cycle with dogs as final hosts and rodents or ruminants as intermediate hosts, respectively. Hammondiaoocysts are indistinguishable from those of Toxoplasma and Besnoitia but are nonpathogenic in either host. See also besnoitiosis, Besnoitiosis: Introduction,sarcocystosis, Sarcocystosis: Introduction, and toxoplasmosis, Toxoplasmosis: Introduction.

Four species infect dogs: I canis , I ohioensis , I burrowsi , and I neorivolta . In dogs, only I canis can be identified by the oocyst structure; the other 3 Isospora overlap in dimensions and can be differentiated only by endogenous developmental characteristics.

Clinical coccidiosis, although not common, has been reported in kittens and puppies. The most common clinical signs in severe cases are diarrhea (sometimes bloody), weight loss, and dehydration. Usually, coccidiosis is associated with other infectious agents, immunosuppression, or stress.

In severe cases, in addition to supportive fluid therapy, sulfonamides such as sulfadimethoxine (50 mg/kg the first day and 25 mg/kg/day for 2-3 wk thereafter) can be used. Sanitation is important, especially in catteries and kennels, or where large numbers of animals are housed. Feces should be removed frequently. Fecal contamination of feed and water should be prevented. Runs, cages, and utensils should be disinfected daily. Raw meat should not be fed. Insect control should be established.

http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/21206.htm


this is why I've asked repeatedly exactly how the pup was treated for Coccidia and worms..........................