I'm worried about my Westie - have I hurt him?

[Lougle]

I have a 10 year old Westie. He's lovely, but never been a good eater.

Almost 2 weeks ago I started raw feeding. Started with chicken wings, then thighs, legs, a little bit of liver, now hearts...still mainly chicken diet though.

Over the last little while, I've noticed the Westie is choosing to stay outside more. Or upstairs, out the way. We have a busy house - 3 small children and a Staff puppy.

The last few days it's been quite hard to call him in from the garden. I have to go looking for him, and find him at the top of the garden in the corner, etc.

He is choosing to drink water from a trench in the garden, rather than the water we provide. He's not a big drinker anyway.

But, yesterday, I couldn't find him AT ALL. Eventually found him hiding under a trailer.

I have a vets appointment later today for him. I just gave him a shower, and he was doing a low-level moan as I rubbed his abdomen with shampoo.

Is it a co-incidence, or could I have damaged him by raw feeding? He's seemed to cope so well, and for the first time in his life he's been 'dancing for his dinner' with a big waggy tail. But he's obviously uncomfortable.

Could it be that he's ill anyway, and nothing to do with the food? Will a vet assume it's the change in diet, and if so..could he be ill and it go undetected?

I'm so worried about him

It could be the puppy. They've had a few arguments in the last few weeks. But having said that, after his shower, the Westie had quite a long play fight with the puppy - very good natured, tails wagging furiously, big grins.

I'm concerned that his tummy seemed tender. He is so good in the shower, but was obviously uncomfortable when I rubbed it.

Sounds like he could be in pain, the hiding & the moaning when you touch his tummy.
Perhaps colitis after the change in diet? The vet will be able to tell.

Are you sure he is pooing ok? Could be constipated, a raw diet too high in bone content can make the poo too firm, if not used to this he can be uncomforable. Are you feeding fish or tripe at all? I feed both at least one a week, usually in the mornings and they both 'move' the dogs, fish is usually sardines in tomato sauce, they love it. I would take a look at the poos he is doing, just to check if it's not constipation.

Might he have a shard of bone stuck internally somehwere? The vet will be able to have a feel.

I suspect he needs his own quiet space away from the puppy though.

I'd get him checked over, if he is hiding away he could be in pain or just feeling out of sorts. Twice I have watched and waited with a dog that seemed to be generally OK but not just his normal self and twice I've eventually had a diagnosis of something serious - for peace of mind just get him checked out.

Back from the vets now. She has said that he definitely has colitis. His temperature was 39.33c. He is now 8.5kg, when we have normally always struggled to get him below 10kg.

She seemed alarmed when she asked what I'd been feeding him, and I explained that I had been giving him chicken wings, legs and a bit of heart, etc. She asked if the chicken still had it's bone.

So, her initial diagnosis is colitis. She said he definitely has blood in his poo, but her worry is that it is from further up the GI tract as the poo is quite black (quick question...wouldn't the blood in the meat also do this?)

She has prescribed Antepsin, Metronidazole and Ranitidine for 10 days, and suggested a diet of boiled chicken/fish and rice, split into 6 meals of no more than 2-3 tablespoons.

I also have to give a wee sample from him at his next appointment.

She suggests that if it clears up we wean him gradually back onto 'his normal food' ie. not raw.

Her other thoughts given his age (10½), weight loss and horrible looking poo is either a tumour or a stomach ulcer.

Any thoughts?

bump

I don't know either, but since the symptoms seem to coincide with the change in food, it definitely seems possible it's that.

I don't feed raw, but maybe some of the raw feeders will come and answer the question about the colour of their dogs poo?

How is he doing today? I hope there's some improvement.

He was sick this morning, about half an hour after the Antepsin, but it was his full meal (only 2-3 tablespoons) from the night before

Today I've done him fish and rice. He seems happy with that.

That's a shame I hope he gets better soon. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you x