Question:
Hi there! I love your website; very informative. I am posting with concern about my nearly 2-year old Keeshond, Goose. She is about 35 lbs.

So, I suspect she got into some rancid steak on/about Thursday of last week.

She began vomiting repeatedly verrry late Thursday night, at first it was dark brownish-red (I suspect that was the meat), then yellow, then clear mucous-type vomit, and then a little spit here and there but it all ended by Friday night. However, I am most concerned with her stool. It does seem to be improving, but on Saturday she was completely incontinent. I had to actually station her in the bathtub because her bowel movements were so unexpected; all she was putting out was less than 1/2 cup of stool with every movement, which was happening about once every 2 hours.

This was happening throughout the night, but had ended by morning around 11am. I began to give her Pepto Bismol yesterday evening, one pill (262 mg) every six hours. I crush it up in a blended mix of plain white rice and some warm thoroughly diced boiled chicken. Sometimes I'll add 1/2 tsp of hot water to it to keep it warm. Her stool is now dark brownish (I assume because of the Pepto Bismol) and her stool amount has gone from slightly mucousy to thick and about 1-2 cups worth. It does seem to be improving quite alot. Vomiting and her seemingly nauseated look has completely vanished. I feed her about every 3-4 hours, maybe 1 to 1 1/2-cups worth of the bland diet, increasing the amount about 1/4 cup every 3-4 hours, and adding the Pepto with every other serving (every 6-7 hours). She was a bit lame at first, and actually acted as though her stomach was sore or hurting a bit. But now she is following me around, curious and chipper as usual, even jumping from time to time with excitement.

So, her personality is back to normal, her appetite seems to be restored (she has returned to staring at me whenever I eat, and actually tries to get into her food storage for her regular dog food), and she drinks water normally (she has been drinking water normally this whole time, I should mention). I have timed her bowel movement so that I try to get her out of the house at least once a hour - I am unsure if that's how often she goes, but I just don't want another accident to happen inside of the house.

Her gums do not feel tacky or dehydrated and her nose and eyes look fine... The only thing is the stool. I just want to make sure what I am doing is the right thing, and perhaps you could lend me some advice on what else I could do to perhaps speed her stool improvement.

I called many vets to seek their opinions - They all tell me bringing Goose in for an x-ray wouldn't hurt, although they say an x-ray is not necessary if she is improving at such a fast rate. I assume purging is just too late at this point. The only thing I haven't done is an enema. I know how to do the at-home enema. I guess it wouldn't hurt.

I know this type of situation takes awhile to get out of. I guess I am really just seeking affirmation that I am in fact helping her, and maybe that it was really the rancid meat that got to her. I thought at first she found one of those marshmallow peeps (since it happened around easter and the roommates were hiding peeps in my room), but that last time she ate one of those she had diarrhea for like a hour literally, and that was it - No vomiting or anything.

So, okay, I guess my questions are: How long should I keep her on the Pepto? Should I give the enema? And am I doing everything satisfactory? Maybe a few of you have had a similar experience?

I hope I was informative enough!

Thanks so much for reading!!

Answer:
So you still haven't gone to the vet? Pepto is less than ideal because it just masks the problem and doesn't solve it.

Answer:
I would take my dog to the vet ASAP to make sure everything is ok !!! and stop the guessing and find out what the real problem is... it is better safe than sorry

Answer:
Well the thing is the vets even said pepto was okay - i guess i am really just kind of seeking other it-happened-to-me advice

Answer:
The vet said it was fine even if it's not helping?

IMO, it's NOT fine. She needs a vet.

Answer:
If it's not helping GET A SECOND OPTION !!!

Answer:
Originally Posted by Prin
The vet said it was fine even if it's not helping?

IMO, it's NOT fine. She needs a vet.


no no no it IS helping
its helping ALOT

i was just seeking affirmation and maybe some tips... im sorry to be bugging you all with this.

Answer:
If it was helping, you wouldn't need it anymore. It's just masking. It's not fixing anything.

Answer:
Worrywart! You should speak to your vet again to ensure everything is okay. Do you have any pumpkin? pure pumpkin not pie filling....This helps with firming up the stool.....The rice should help as well....Keep us updated on how you make out at the vet?

Cindy

Answer:
Originally Posted by Winston
Worrywart! You should speak to your vet again to ensure everything is okay. Do you have any pumpkin? pure pumpkin not pie filling....This helps with firming up the stool.....The rice should help as well....Keep us updated on how you make out at the vet?

Cindy


i can definitely get pumpkin - any idea on how much i should add to the mix? like 1 part to 4 parts, etc?

thanks alot for that tip, i never even considered that.





Originally Posted by Prin
If it was helping, you wouldn't need it anymore. It's just masking. It's not fixing anything.


well the thing is, is it help alot as far as her little bout of constipation goes, her stool is increasing and i will take her off of it, maybe even after tonights last dose. i was planning on using it only for about 48 hours, i just wasnt sure if that was enough time to get her bowels moving using it, or if she needed to be on it for a longer bit of time.

Answer:
Do you know that dogs with leptospirosis vomit a dark brownish red??? You see, vets are there for a reason, just because she's improved and you are filling her with a bunch of home remedies, does not mean that the problem has gone. First priority should be veterinary care and treatment as prescribed by a vet. This dog weighs 35lbs... not much body weight to gamble with don't you think? If this were a child, would you be taking the same approach? I'm sorry but home doctoring really worries a good many of us on this board. Maybe you are doing everything right, but the next person to come along and read this might figure, what the hey, let's try all she did, worked for her.

Answer:
Originally Posted by BMDLuver
Do you know that dogs with leptospirosis vomit a dark brownish red??? You see, vets are there for a reason, just because she's improved and you are filling her with a bunch of home remedies, does not mean that the problem has gone. First priority should be veterinary care and treatment as prescribed by a vet. This dog weighs 35lbs... not much body weight to gamble with don't you think? If this were a child, would you be taking the same approach? I'm sorry but home doctoring really worries a good many of us on this board. Maybe you are doing everything right, but the next person to come along and read this might figure, what the hey, let's try all she did, worked for her.

firstly, i didnt come onto the board to be attacked like this. i have consulted 4 veterinarians who are ALL telling me that it is not necessary to bring her in for evaluation. one said an x ray would not hurt but is not necessary.

secondly, leptospirosis is a canine outbreak. she has not been in contact with any other animals, including rats, fish, horses, cows, or other dogs or cats. she does not eat fecal matter and is on a strict all-organic diet. the vets are all convinced and confident that what she ate was some steak that was left outside after a dinner we had outdoors. a piece that would have possibly dropped off the table and was not noticed when cleaned up.

leptospirosis symptoms can take anywhere from 48 hours to a month to develop. if she in fact had leptospirosis she would not be showing symptoms within 6 hours of contact AND be improving on symptoms. she would be deteriorating.

i take my dog to the vet often, she has all of her vaccines. its not like i am against taking her to the vet.

i guess i just wont ask you all anymore because it seems you all just want to attack me.

im sorry for even bothering you.

Answer:
hmmmm.. not an attack but an educational response. Leptospirosis is contracted by more than just fecal matter. Stagnant water, urine etc.. carries the disease. The odd climatic temperature changes are resulting in more cases per annum. You can walk through somewhere as simple as a grocery store and transfer the disease on to the soles of your shoes.

As you said, the symptoms can take anywhere from 6 hours to a month to present themselves, they can also lay dormant and thrive on a weakened animal.

I was merely pointing out that you assume it's rancid steak which you are guessing. Wouldn't want joe internet searcher to assume the same thing which is my point.

Answer:
So she hasn't been outside at all? Lepto can be in raccoon urine too, and you can't know where the raccoons have been and where they haven't.

i have consulted 4 veterinarians who are ALL telling me that it is not necessary to bring her in for evaluation.
Honestly, I don't buy that for a second. Vets do not diagnose dogs over the phone, nor do they give owners the benefit of the doubt over the phone.

Answer:
Originally Posted by Prin
So she hasn't been outside at all? Lepto can be in raccoon urine too, and you can't know where the raccoons have been and where they haven't.

Honestly, I don't buy that for a second. Vets do not diagnose dogs over the phone, nor do they give owners the benefit of the doubt over the phone.


i never said they diagnosed her, they said that what i was doing was on the right track. if you would like to pm me, ill be happy to give you numbers and locations of every place i called. you can read them my story word for word and then you can listen to what they tell you.

i wasnt aware this forum was so biased and mean. i came here for some suggestions on anti-diarrhea remedies and you all attack me like im trying to harm my dog on purpose. and that is just not fair.

Answer:
I think the pepto is ok to soothe and coat the digestive system but alone, I agree with the others here that it may also be masking the problem.

I was given something like a paste once to soothe the intestines in combination with other medications to get rid of the bacteria as well as an antibiotic to prevent infection if there is any bleeding.

When one of my dogs had diarrhea and loose stool they said that sometimes the balance of bacteria in the intestines can get all out of whack if they ate something funny and that can cause an overgrowth of bad bacteria - hence the anti-infection drug and/or anti-biotic.

Dogs can get dehydrated very easily especially with days of vomitting and diarrhea.

Answer:
oh yea, and as far as raccoon urine goes, i monitor her when she goes outside, we have a very small land patch and she does not wander. i dont even think we have raccoons around here, there sure arent any trees for them to climb on anywhere

Answer:
So you're still not going to the vet then?

Answer:
thank you for that response, superwanda. thats exactly what i was looking for to read. thats all i had asked for, was experience and suggestions...

i will be taking her off pepto tonight if you think it may be masking the problem. i will let ya know if she is not getting better. thanks so much for that kind response, thats all i was asking for!

Answer:
Originally Posted by worrywart
the vets are all convinced and confident that what she ate was some steak that was left outside after a dinner we had outdoors.

How can the vets be convinced if they havent even examined her? I have never spoken to a vet on the phone and heard them do anything but encourage me to come in for a check up before making any assumptions.

i take my dog to the vet often, she has all of her vaccines. its not like i am against taking her to the vet.
Well, even though you do seem rather averse to going to the vet and giving up the do-it-yourself cures, I agree with the others in urging you to do so.

Answer:
The pepto might still be ok to use but I would try the vet again if you really aren't seeing any difference in the stool.

They might give you something like that to control any infectious agents that may be taking up residence in her intestines.

Hope she is feeling better soon!

Answer:
OMG PLEASE take this dog to the vet and opt for the xray. I just lost my baby due to intestinal blockage and BEGGED for an xray but got neglegent vet care. Be safe rather than sorry, DONT make the mistake that it isn't that bad or whatever. Take this baby to the vet and let the professionals figure it out.....PLEASE!!!!

Answer:
I'm sorry you feel like you're being attacked! These boards are really helpful- but can get heated when it comes to proper vet care, breeding and training. I know most people don't want to see a vet unless it's absolutely necessary, but sometimes the $50-60 check up is worth it, in case there is more wrong than you can tell. I would be especially worried with your guy because it has continued and doesn't seem to be getting better. Dogs are like children and can hide their pain and symptoms quite well, which is why vomiting and diarrhea are often important indicators that something bad is happening which could be more than an upset stomach.

Our little Helix- a 5.5 month old Alaskan Klee Kai, who only weighs about 10 lbs- just had a similar episode. He had diarrhea all night (every hour) one night, and it was bloody by morning. He also threw up a couple of times. He was eating and drinking though, and still very active, so I wasn't very concerned. As soon as my vet opened in the morning, I made an appointment for later that afternoon and stayed home with him that day to watch him. The vet confirmed what we already suspected- he probably just ate something that was having a hard time getting through his digestive system or was simply upsetting it. He suggested we fast him for 24 hours and then start giving him tiny amounts of kibble every 3 hours to see if he could handle it. If there was no improvement in 48 hours, we were to bring him back for blood work and x-rays (or of course, if he got much worse we could bring him in as an emergency). Luckily, by that evening his stool had graduated from diarrhea to really soft but formed and by the next morning he had his normal stool and no vomiting. So no worries for us! But I felt better that I knew he didn't have a fever, wasn't dehydrated, and didn't have anything noticeably abnormal wrong with his abdomen. Our vet advised us on the best course of action to make our pup feel better fast and with a minimum of pain, without unnecessary cost to us.

Answer:
How is Goose today?

Answer: