Recurring diarrhea

[Calypso]

In addition to the whole esophageal stricture thing, Havana has been dealing with intermittent diarrhea. I think it started just before her dental on February 19. She was barely eating anything after that so I don't know if she cleared up or just wasn't eating enough. She had a few overnight diarrhea accidents while I was on vacation and so she was on metronidazole from 3/31-4/6. By 4/9 she was back to complete pudding poo.

No parasites, on the same food she's been on for a few months (she's on pulverized kibble), other dogs are fine. She's on a probiotic and metronidazole for a month. I am giving the probiotics away from the metronidazole.

Ideas for next steps? Hopefully her stomach is just messed up from all she's been through and a month will be enough to set her right.

[Trademarkbark]

Try taking food back a notch to maybe cottage cheese and pumpkin, then add some rice baby food. Sounds like her gut might need a break.

Just a little aside. I have gastroparesis and IBS, so rarely have normal stools myself. I will eat rice baby cereal and cottage cheese for a few days and it works for me too.

[connie]

Good idea on the food, I think -- even pulverized, kibble can be less digestible to many dogs than a bland diet like white rice and boiled chicken. I'd do something like cook some white rice in chicken broth, add some baked chicken and baked sweet potato, and mush the whole thing to a thick soup consistency. I'd also give a probiotic twice a day, Metro is a drug that is notoriously hard on gut flora.

[Trademarkbark]

I'd also give a probiotic twice a day, Metro is a drug that is notoriously hard on gut flora.

I hadn’t heard that. We always use metronidazole for diarrhea and it clears everything up.

[connie]

A short course of it is the absolute best thing, in my experience, for stopping diarrhea, but when it's given long-term, diarrhea is a not-uncommon side effect. I think Havana's been on it for more than a week, IIRC?
https://www.petmd.com/pet-medication/metronidazole

Not related to the topic here, but Marina always told me to limit Metro use to a few days when it was given for diarrhea; she said it is enormously effective at knocking out the organisms causing the diarrhea, but that if given for a longer time period, it will be hard on the gut. I pointed out that it's used for IBD, but she said that's due to its anti-inflammatory properties, not its antibiotic action. I wish Marina were still around, for so many things ...

[emmas_mom]

I'dd probably add some digestive enzymes (or a probiotic/prebiotic/digestive enzyme supplement - I am currently using Microflora Plus by Herbsmith, and Mags is doing well on it). She had one bout of diarrhea and this cleared her up within 36 hours.

[whiteboxerboy]

Yes, in humans, metro can /will cause diarrhea with prolonged use.

I don't know about dogs. For Pi just one or two doses clears him up. Gringo is a different story. The last two times I've had him on Metro for 4-6 days his poo gets better after a few days then back to super icky, all while still getting Metro.

[Aubergine]

You can also try oatmeal in place of rice. I find it firms things up a bit better.

Can you get a hold of "Acute Care" - we call it butt paste at our house. It comes in a massive syringe and can be added to food. That, in combination with metro, seems to work pretty well.

I made a "tummy mix" by blending together human probiotics and digestive enzyme capsules, and I sprinkle it on the dogs' food.

[Sabine]

I would go the route of Tylan rather than metro. Fewer side effects/risks and often it's possible to give a very small effective dose. If it manages a condition well, it can be used long-term.