puppy with chronic loose stools--in desperate need of help

[docallaghan]

I have a 7 month old golden retriever who has had chronic soft stools for as long as we brought her home. She is being treated for roundworms and we are not sure if this is the cause of her diarrhea. Don't think it is allergies, doesn't seem to have other symptoms. It clears up when she is on antibiotics, but I do not want to put her on another round of medication again. She is already on low residue food, but I do not think this has helped either. Desperately looking for help or anyone else who may have had similar experience. She has not lost one ounce of energy. No other symptoms either. We are training her for therapy work and I am so concerned that this could develop into something worse. Thanks for any help!

[Dax]

How many times a day do you feed?

I would try feeding smaller amounts more often. I have found with my own that if I feed Ariel more than a cup of food at a time, her stools will be loose.

You could also try adding a tablespoon or so of pumpkin (unspiced) with her meals.

[Bosley Slave]

Have you tested her for Giardia?

[fairlight]

Treatment consists of of various deworming medications. Some dewormers may kill more than one type of parasite. Round worm elimination requres at least two dewormings 10-21 days apart. Following treatment another stool sample examination is recommended to determine if further deworming is needed. To avoice reinfection it is important your pups area clean and free from stool. If the pup deficates, pick it up and dispose of it immediately. To harden the stoll I would do what Dax told you to do. Use a little bit of pumkin in her food. I would usually say use long grain brown rice but it would be hard to determine since the rice may not be fully digested and may look like worms. What type of meds is your dog on?

[micki]

Have you treated for whipworms? sometimes they do not show in a fecal but they are usually the culprit with loose mucusy stools.Not all wormers treat them either.

[EmmaGirl]

I agree with the Pumpkin remedy to see if it helps.

[docallaghan]

Thank you to everyone for your advice. We have had a roller coaster of a week regarding the stools. We added a probiotic supplement to her food and stools started to firm up almost immediately, but we had to give her her preventative worming medication (Iverhart Max) which covers all types of worms and again diarrhea came back last night and this morning. I am consulting with a homeopathic vet because I do not want her to be on antibiotic medication anymore. Although it clears it up nicely she has been on it far too much for such a young pup. Our vet seems to think that she has had worms for the past 3 or 4 months and because she was not on any preventative medication (that is a whole other story which led to us switching vets) that might be why she had chronic loose stools. She is still running and playing like always, but I am watching carefully if she stool does not seem to get better in the next 24 hours I am calling vet. If anyone has any other advice please let me know, at this point anything may help.

[rockstar]

hello,
you can continue to give her the probiotic and you can pick up some slippery elm-great for digestive tract. Works for diahrea and constipation.
Pumpkin is great-continue giving her this until she firms up.
good luck,
Rita

[weezyNollie]

It sounds like you should try a food trial. Eliminate food allergies and/or irritable bowel.

Try a novel protein diet (anything but chicken, beef, lamb -- ie: fish, venison, duck, kangaroo, rabbit). Switch over slowly. But I almost bet the constant soft stool is from dietary.

[Bclover92]

thats kind of what i thought too weezy...