For the love of Pod

[HangingOver]

All aboard Podsquad, it's Pod thread number 4.

In case you were wondering:

• What is this (surprisingly) long-running thread about? A unique lunatic rescue Podenco, known as Pod. Featuring his pals, Stanley, GentleHowl, BabyPod, GentleBounce, Fastest and Princess and many more.
• What makes you so special that you get your own thread? See above

Seriously, if anyone is considering getting a teenage/rescued/sight-hound/Podenco/all of the above and has NO idea what they're doing, please enjoy the previous instalments from the day we brought him home, to now, six months later. Posts will oscillate wildly from euphoric to mental breakdown and back again.

Here is thread No. 3 https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/thedoghouse/5248472-they-love-a-bit-of-him-podlife?page=1

Here is thread No. 2 https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/thedoghouse/5197068-the-pod-cast?page=39&reply=141216881

And thread No. 1 https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/thedoghouse/5177112-oh-my-giddy-god?page=1

Pic of the handsome prick in question.

Ugh, Hanging, I'm so sorry you're going through this. I think you could be onto something; it does sound like poor Pod's nighttime antics could be behavioural or psychological. Though having said that, that's a huge amount of poo!

My pooch had a lot of tummy issues as well and the HA food has been brilliant for him. He still has the odd episode but I'd say it's 95% sorted now.

Fingers tightly crossed that changing his diet makes a difference. (I never thought I'd feel so invested in the pooing habits of a dog on the internet! 🤣)

I'd probably be trying an exclusion diet - because having to poo a lot for a dog who has issues pooing doesn't seem great.. and it'd be normal to poo once or twice a day... more than that does indeed suggest a lot of what is going in is not being digested, either because he can't, or because it isn't meant to be..

i don't blame you at all for contemplating whether you can carry on doing this - sleep deprivation is horrific!

I also think you may be right about the phobia!

I wish you could speak to:

Sarah Fisher - Tilly Farm
Amber Batson - vet behaviourist at Understand Animals

It really is horrible. The only other time in my life I've been this sleep deprived was when Mum was dying and I appreciate it sounds wet but I always associate this weird out of body feeling with horribleness.

I'm glad you all think I could be on to something. 7 poops is insane right? Perhaps if I can get the volume down I can get him to do them during the day instead of at night. Maybe a combination of new food and a short course of anxiety medication could put him on the right path.

I have also considered getting some clear plastic to attach to the parts of the walls he's damaging and after he's pooped leaving him to it. I expect that sounds cruel and I know you aren't supposed to leave them to "cry it out".

I just had a little weep on DP and asked him if he hated me and Pod for fucking up his life and he looked at me like I'd gone completely mad (fair).

Pod came over looking worried and promptly did an unsolicited middle which was unbelievably adorable.

Then I had four jammy crumpets with peanut butter (what would vegans actually do without peanut butter? We'd be dead).

He's had an hour and a half hunting at the field and now he's asleep beside me stretching his lovely toes in his dreams.

Mmm jammy crumpets!

Mm, stress won't help his guts... however you not getting any rest and him going back to rescue would also stress him... sometimes, you have to do what you have to do!

Would your vet support him going on Trazodone - its a fast acting antidepressant, fairly commonly used as an anxiety/behavioural med. Most of the available meds for anxiety/fear etc take six to eight weeks to show their true effects, but Traz works in around 2 hours. It can be given daily, or situationally, the dose range is wide and you can fiddle with it a fair bit, say give it once a day or twice a day.

I often get clients to ask their vets about this, it also works well in conjunction with fluoxetine (Reconcile) and several other drugs so as a starting point, it's a good option.

Anxiety meds sound like a great idea while you change over his food and try to put a new routine or behaviours in place.

Yes, 7 full sized poos each day is ridiculous.

Delurking to send love and best wishes to you and Pod 🤗

Me too...hope he is sorted soon.

My heart goes out to you, it really does. Has he been checked for pancreatitis or enzyme insufficiency?

I'm also a lurker and don't often post but always check your posts. Absolutely no advice but you're amazing. You and Pod have been through so much.

Thank you again my wonderful Podsquad.

One little bright spot on a sea of shit.... I took Pod to the local long dog meet up tonight and it was GLORIOUS! About twenty pointy hounds teararsing around at top speed for an hour. Pod was much the fastest and he behaved really nicely.

He's very cross because he's being starved ahead of his scope tomorrow.

As last night was particularly awful, me and DP have worked out Pods mean average collapse time (2.30am) split the time in half and are doing shifts. So I'll wake him up and about twelve and then he can take over.

Oh and following the food change his poop tally for the day has dropped from what would have been five by now to just two

That's two bright spots then! Hope for the best.

Oh that's good to hear. Good luck for tomorrow.

Good luck with his colonoscopy today. I hope it gives you some nice fixable answers.

Good luck with your colonoscopy, Pod, hopefully things will be getting better for you soon and your mum and dad can get a decent night's sleep 😴

It sounds like a change to his diet was a good call, Hanging 😎

"They're going to do what??"

Bless him. Hope all goes ok

Oh my, he actually looks worried!

Oh poor Pod. Hope you get some useful results!

Oh God, his little face 😥 poor boy, I always wish my hounds could understand that we're at the horrible, scary, vets to make them better.

TBF that's what his face looks like most of the time 🤣

Poor Pod! It’s okay Pod, if they have gentle hands you won’t even know.

Do dogs need to have a nasty bowel prep drink that makes you go like you’ve never gone before and your bum is begging for mercy and nappy cream?

I hope that he has a lovely snooze from the sedation.

I looked like that before my colonoscopy the other week as well! I hope it's all done now, bless him.

Sad little burrito

Ohhh puppy 😞😞