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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

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Original poster

Puppy with diarrhea

44 replies

FreddoBaggyMac · 21/08/2012 17:57

Hi. We adopted a seven week old puppy from the RSPCA on Saturday, she's a crossbreed (a bit of lab and a bit of collie we think!) She's completely lovely and seems very healthy, energetic and inquisitive, our only problem is that she is that she has diarrhea and we're unsure what to do about it. She poos approx eight times a day and while it's not totally liquid it's much runnier than I'd expect (sorry if TMI!!)

The problem seemed to begin at the RSPCA kennels, and they were feeding her a mix of Chappy and pedigree chum puppy food. This didn't seem to be improving things so I've switched her onto James Wellbeloved Puppy dried food. She's been on that for two days and things do seem to have improved but only very slightly. I've also ordered pro kolin which will hopefully arrive tomorrow to try.

Just wondering if anyone can give me any further advice on what to do? Sould I stick with the James Wellbeloved dried food or try something else? Any advice much appreciated x

OP posts:

vnmum · 22/08/2012 10:48

OP, were her stools runny when you first brought her home or did it start after a few days of her being with you? If it is the former, then I would ring the RSPCA and they may well let you see their vet or offer to cover some of the cost of seeing your own as the time frame would indicate the puppy was ill when rehomed.

How many days has she actually had the diarrheoa for? If you adopted her on saturday and she has had it since then, then today will be the 4th day. I would definately at least ring the vet for advise and seriously consider taking her in. I know it might seem an extra expense, that is why I suggested phoning the rspca shelter first to see if they can help, but 3 -4 days of poos as sloppy as you describe can soon lead to dehydration in a puppy so young.

I am presuming she came with free insurance, but check the small print to see if there is an initial exclusion period before you rely on that.

With regards to the worming, Milbemax is indicated in puppies from 2 weeks of age at an interval of 2-4 weeks during the nursing period. As your puppy is now weaned, that will probably be the reason they have said to worm her after 4 weeks. Different anthelmintics have different schedules and different vets will have differing views on the worming frequency.

If you gently pull the skin up on the scruff of her neck, does it immediately go back down or does it stay up for a few seconds or more?

Please let us know how you get on

Champneys · 22/08/2012 12:25

happy - I was told every 2 weeks.

Champneys · 22/08/2012 12:27

LeMarch - nobody has said don't see the vet. I certainly did not say do not see the vet today. If you read my posts, you will see that if* no change, with breakfast and lunch today, see the vet today.

FFS - can people not read> It is in capitals as well

LemarchandsBox · 22/08/2012 15:25

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

FreddoBaggyMac · 22/08/2012 15:31

Thanks so much everyone, I really appreciate all your advice. Champneys I found your advice really helpful, and of course I realise you weren't telling me not to go to the vet and just offering advice on different options.

We gave her the James Wellbeloved food first thing and were all ready to go out and buy chicken to boil AND take her to the vets, but her first poo of the morning was fine... so solid I could actually pick it up (using a poo bag of course!!) Poos since then have shown a definate improvement on yesterday, most have been solid enough to pick up with poo bag. She's still going in small amounts every 2 hours though (but only once between about 9pm and 7am) but I'm thinking that this might not be too unusual for a puppy of this age (if they're anything like babies anyway!)??? So our decision is to stick with the same food for now and see how things go. I have the vet's number ready though should things start to go downhill.

Does anyone know how much poo is normal for a seven week old puppy? Is going every couple of hours and once overnight a lot more than I should be expecting? as I say her poos are now ranging between 'cow pat' style and solid (like you'd expect in a fully grown dog only about a tenth of the size!)

Thanks for the idea re speaking to the RSPCA vet vnmum, it's much further away than the vets we're planning on using (which has been recommended by a friend) but is worth thinking about.

The skin on the scruff of her neck goes straight back down when pulled, she doesn't seem dehydrated at all, and she's the very OPPOSITE of lethargic

Thanks once again for all your very helpful advice (did not expect to cause contention in the pets section of mumsnet!!) Any more comments (particularly on how much she should be pooing) would be much appreciated.

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LemarchandsBox · 22/08/2012 15:36

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Original poster

FreddoBaggyMac · 22/08/2012 15:39

PS. vnumum, yes her stools were runny when we brought her home, the RSPCA said they had substituted part of her food with chappy because she'd had a stomach upset (and apparently chappy is bland and good for bad tummies???? Looks and smells worse than the poo itself to me). Given that they knew about it and that she'd seen the vet there (and also as she's so well and bouncy in herself), that's why I wasn't overly concerned about it until yesterday.

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Original poster

FreddoBaggyMac · 22/08/2012 15:42

Thanks Lemarch, our plans at the moment are to give it until friday morning (as things seem to be improving) and if we're not happy things are normal by then book her in at the vets... I'm not entirely sure what 'normal' is for a seven week old puppy, but it's helpful to know that yours went 4-5 times a day. Anyone else have experience of puupies this age so I can work out a rough average number?!

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Original poster

FreddoBaggyMac · 22/08/2012 15:44

Also we're going back to the RSPCA vets next week anyway for her second vaccs so we will make sure she's checked over propely then (but will take her beforehand if any sign of things going downhill).

OP posts:

vnmum · 22/08/2012 18:45

Glad things are firming up.

I have to say though, I think it is very bad form of the RSPCA to rehome her, especially with novice puppy owners like yourselves (no offence intended) knowing that she still had diarrheoa after a stomach upset. Realistically, I know their vet will have been treating her but how did they know it wouldn't get suddenly worse or wasn't an infection brewing. Just because she has had 1 vaccination does not make her immune from parvo and it could have turned into a very risky strategy on the part of the RSPCA, IMO.

I know you have no control over the RSPCA, OP, but if you do have to take her to your vets with regards to this, I would certainly ring the rspca and demand they pay for the treatment as they shouldn't have re homed her while still under treatment and if you have insurance it probably won't cover it because she had the condition when you took her home.

Original poster

FreddoBaggyMac · 22/08/2012 19:57

Thanks vnmum, you make some very good points. I'll certainly be mentioning to the RSPCA when we take her to get her 2nd vaccs next week (if not before!) What they did say to us was that 'She'd had a bit of a stomach upset' and they'd substituted part of her food with Chappy, so I was under the impression that it was all sorted out until we brought her home!

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LemarchandsBox · 22/08/2012 20:00

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vnmum · 22/08/2012 21:46

freddo just bear in mind that if she is still not right by the time her vacc is due, she may not be well enough to have it. If I were you, I would be tempted to speak to your own vet for advice on the suitability for vacc if she is not better by then. The rspca will not want to admit there was a problem so will vaccinate regardless.

lemarch I don't like the rspca. I have had dealings with them both work wise and personally and they have some very strange policies as far as i am concerned and are not so willing to help animals as they would have you believe. granted, my work dealings were 12 years ago but my personal ones were only a few years ago.

LemarchandsBox · 22/08/2012 22:04

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daisydotandgertie · 22/08/2012 22:10

Puppies poo a lot. I'd say the frequency you describe is about right - and you're lucky it's only once overnight! At 7 weeks, her insides are tiny, so can't hold much in the way of volume. She also doesn't have the muscle strength to keep it in for long.

LST · 22/08/2012 22:17

My 7week old collie has/had diarrhoea.

We took him to a vet and he gave him a shot of anti-biotics and some oral tabs to take for 2 weeks. He's also been put on a diet of rice, pasta, fish and scrambled egg (and nicked cat food )

He had his first proper solid poo today so it has worked wonders

I hope your puppy feels better soon!

LST · 22/08/2012 22:20

And vnmum is right. You won't be able to take her for a vacc without her being 100% healthy.

LemarchandsBox · 22/08/2012 22:32

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Original poster

FreddoBaggyMac · 30/08/2012 11:58

Hi everyone, just thought I'd give all you helpful people an update! Puppy is loads better (in fact I'm beginning to worry she's a bit 'blocked up' if anything!!) For the last week she's had nothing at all to eat apart from James Wellbeloved dried food mixed with smaller and smaller amounts of chicken and a bit of rice.

After the initial improvement I mentioned she did go a bit 'runny' again. We put it down to a few dried beef puppy reward things we gave her in the afternoon, so we've been really strict about giving her no 'junk' at all since then. Went with Champneys advice and gave her boiled chicken and rice for a day which seemed to really firm things up! Since then we've just used boiled chicken as rewards (which she's very happy about!) and she's now doing 4-5 small solid/ semi-solid poos a day which seems pretty normal for a 9 week old puppy.

We are still planning on using the RSPCA vet as we get a reduction in price for her 2nd vaccs (which are on Sat) and she'll be spayed free of charge so obviously would prefer to stay with them for now (but will suss things out on Saturday to see if I'm happy with them).

Thanks again everyone for all your help and advice xx

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