Dog with the runs (again!)

Lifeisbutadream

I have a 9 month old English Springer.

He really is the most lovely natured dog and is perfect in every way (nothing to do with the thread I just wanted to brag )

We have had him since he was 4.5 months old and in all of the time we have had him, he has had the runs on and off quite a few times.

I have had him to the vets more times than I can count and I imagine that it has cost me around £400 so far! :eek:

Anyway, I got to the point where I decided I would not take him to the vets again - he is generally fine in himself and it always clears up after a few days.

But on Sunday there was some blood in his poo. When I took him for a walk on Monday there was blood again and it was actually running down his bum after he had been (sorry for the graphics) - I took him again yesterday and got the usual binder and tablets - £50 again...

He seems fine again today - what actually happens is the first poo of his walk is solid and then during the walk he goes again and again and they get runnier - that is what happened again today, but no blood.

I dont know what to do for the best - the vet said go back again next week and they will start tests if he is no better. I cant indefinetely keep spending money (when he is not ill in himself) and I dont know whether it is covered on insurance.

Has anyone had any experience similar to this? my brothers springer gets the runs a lot but not as bad as Jack.

Sagz_2

Has the poo been tested by the Vet before?

Lifeisbutadream

Sagz wrote: »

Has the poo been tested by the Vet before?

No - I think that is what they are going to do next week.

It would be fine if I had a never ending suipply of money, but when it averages out at £50 a visit it is a bit much.

I will obviously take him if that is what is needed, I just thought with my brothers springer having similar, it may be something that is quite common (and with him not being ill at the same time it is very strange)

Sagz_2

If you've ruled out the obvious triggers like change of diet, change of routine, car rides, stress, 'special' treats, then I think I'd be inclined to get a faeces test done - it could be that he's carrying some sort of parasite or other bug that builds to a level that upsets his stomach from time to time.

Hopefully finding the cause will be cheaper than to keep treating the symptoms when they occur.

Hope he gets better soon x

ladymarmalade1970

My rottie had this when we rescued him at 9 months. He was 43 kg when we first got him and after about 4 weeks he was down to 37kg. It was the third time we took him to the vets and they did poo tests that they discovered what it was that being Gardia. Apparently its a bad one. Anyhow, it cost us loads but he did recover thank god. That was over 2 years ago and he is fine now.
I think you should take him back.
As a side note, most foods we tried Vins on first of all gave him the runs. We found Wagg worked best for us and he has been on it ever since. We mix it with gravy, eggs or salmon mousse and he is thriving now.

katie1234

could it be his food? we had the same problem right from the start with our pup. she had very bad colitis and as you have mentioned many trips to the vets totaling an insane amount followed. we tried feeding her on a diet of chicken and rice for over 3 weeks with a massive improvement then very slowly introducing dry dog food until it started again. each time we would do this for 3weeks and try a different food until we finally found one she tolerted and4 months down the line its hopefully all behind us! now we just make sure she sticks to the food and same brand treats and still gets regularly wormed. we found he vets particularly useless and spent many a sleepless night out in the yard with her and her dicky tum. hopefully you can get your pup sorted but it does take perserverance.

Jack's_mummy

What food are you using?

My BC had very loose stools on whatever food we tried her on until someone recommended the herb mixes from CSJ. We have been using this one for 3 weeks now and touch wood her stomach has settled. I'm going to try stopping it for a few days and see if the loose stools return to see if it is that or a coincidence.

Irony

I fostered two pups once.Fed same diet, but if there was a trace of chicken in it,the male had the runs his but sister was fine. What's his reg food?

Lifeisbutadream

ladymarmalade1970 wrote: »

My rottie had this when we rescued him at 9 months. He was 43 kg when we first got him and after about 4 weeks he was down to 37kg. It was the third time we took him to the vets and they did poo tests that they discovered what it was that being Gardia. Apparently its a bad one. Anyhow, it cost us loads but he did recover thank god. That was over 2 years ago and he is fine now.
I think you should take him back.
As a side note, most foods we tried Vins on first of all gave him the runs. We found Wagg worked best for us and he has been on it ever since. We mix it with gravy, eggs or salmon mousse and he is thriving now.

His weight is absolutely fine though and he is fine in himself. If I didnt see him actually poo I wouldnt know there were a problem...

Lifeisbutadream

Jack's_mummy wrote: »

What food are you using?

My BC had very loose stools on whatever food we tried her on until someone recommended the herb mixes from CSJ. We have been using this one for 3 weeks now and touch wood her stomach has settled. I'm going to try stopping it for a few days and see if the loose stools return to see if it is that or a coincidence.

He is on Science Plan (as recommended by the vets of course *rolleyes*)

Jack's_mummy

Have you tried a different food? Before getting into more expensive tests I'd be inclined to do a few days of bland food and then introduce a different food. We have settled on a CSJ one along with the herbs.