BajaNomad

Dog still sick since our return from Baja

Bajagypsy - 11-1-2007 at 06:58 AM

Was wondering if any of you fellow nomads who travel with your dogs, ever had a dog that had Diarrhea, when the returned. Our little mexican mutt (all shots are up to date, this was her second visit to Baja), has had diarrhea since we returned? Any suggested on what it could be? Do not see worms in her poop, as it is liqued, and she goes about 50 times a day.:?:

Bob and Susan - 11-1-2007 at 07:14 AM

could it be the canadian water???:lol::lol:

sometimes the change in distance from mexico to canada is ALL it takes.

i'd take the dog to the vet for a check-up and give it "piedolite"(sp) (gator aid)

bettyj58 - 11-1-2007 at 07:35 AM

Coccidia, giardia, hookworm come to mind...need to take a stool sample to the vet....Not a vet but have experience with all these microscopic vermin....

Bajagypsy - 11-1-2007 at 07:39 AM

Thanks bettyj58, I was hoping someone had an experience like this!!

leatherstuff.com - 11-1-2007 at 08:00 AM

Last year when we were in Cabo our dog had diarrhea, after a few days I took him top the vet with a stool sample. He had a parasite unseen to the human eye. He took antibiotics for 10 days and has been fine ever since! Good luck.

vandenberg - 11-1-2007 at 08:03 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by leatherstuff.com
Last year when we were in Cabo our dog had diarrhea, after a few days I took him top the vet with a stool sample. He had a parasite unseen to the human eye. He took antibiotics for 10 days and has been fine ever since! Good luck.


Antibiotics against parasites.:?::?:

leatherstuff.com - 11-1-2007 at 08:10 AM

I think it was an antibiotic, maybe not but the vet will know what to give. I know it cleared up the problem.

bajajudy - 11-1-2007 at 09:22 AM

For a dog with diarrhea, you should boil hamburger meat(skim the fat off) and mix it with cooked rice. That will settle their stomachs. I am not a vet either but I have done that with every dog I ever had since a vet told me to do so.

Diver - 11-1-2007 at 09:33 AM

Judy is right - after a day or 2 of diarrhea.
More than 4 days - go to the Vet, sample in hand.

Although it's probably not Parvo, Parvo has a form that causes a few weeks of diarrhia and then death.

Bob and Susan - 11-1-2007 at 09:44 AM

"Parvo has a form that causes a few weeks of diarrhia and then death. "

GO TO THE VET NOW!!!

A few tips

MrsFDT - 11-1-2007 at 10:26 AM

ok, in this arena I do have the expertise. Ive been dealing with this sort of stuff for a very long time. These are the major causes of sudden unexplained diarreah.

1. Stress
2. internal biological parasite- not nessesaraly worms.
3. Worm parasites
4 diseases- Parvo, Coronavirus, etc...

Stress is the number one cause and it clears in a few days of setting back into his normal routine.

Things to look for concerning the diarreah to help you determin which is the cause are:
Does it smell rancid or odd?
Does it have mucus, slim or blood in it?
Is it foamy, which usually has a bad smell...
Is it just soft and runny but not watery?
Does your dog act normal in every other aspect?

Given your circumstance with the traveling. I would say its a combination of invironmental change stress and the water change. But I couldnt tell you for sure with the details. Send me a U2U with details on all the questions above.

By the way Parvo starts with diareah and ends in death within 12 to 24 hours without treatment, some a little longer. An animal can last weeks if treated with extra fluids but still no guarantee as there is not really a cure. In the end it's the dehydration that kills.

Vaccinations do not keep your animal from contracting illness, it just boost the immunity to help the body recognize the viral agent and help fight it off. Ups the chances of survival.

Antibiotics for some forms of parasites like Giardia and coccidia are used effectivly against the micro parasites that feed off the wall of the intestines. Both these come from water or invironmental contamination. Even people traveling abroad are susceptable to Giardia. These are unseen by the eye. My young pups sometimes get it when I switch to regular water from bottled at around 14 weeks, if their immune systems are slow to develope. I live in Tijuana so the water is an iffy sometimes.

For immediate care of diareah do what was suggested and give pedialite in the regular drinking water and on the side if he'll take it. Add a little pancake or Karo syrup as well, just enough to sweeten the water. This will help balance out the sugar levels. (only if he isnt diabetic)

This after you talk to your vet:
If the diareah is that bad I also suggest buying a product used to stop or slow it. (I usually use a childs antidiareah med only when I cant get to the vet. I have on occation given pepto bismal for the larger dogs. It helps in the short term until you can go to your vet. Preventing dehydration will help the vet and your dog out greatly.

If you can see your vet now do so. If you dont feel it's serious enough to warrent a visit immediately than U2U me.

A small note: I dont suggest you give your dog any type of over the counter med without at least a call to your vet. Take his advice over anyone elses (including mine) and they will talk you through it over the phone pending an appointment.

Sorry about all the mis spellings. lol Im horrible with it.

Bajagypsy - 11-1-2007 at 12:19 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Diver
Judy is right - after a day or 2 of diarrhea.
More than 4 days - go to the Vet, sample in hand.

Although it's probably not Parvo, Parvo has a form that causes a few weeks of diarrhia and then death.


I'm 99.999% sure it isn't parvo, I have lost a dog to parvo before, and so has my husband, the symptoms aren't the same. We will be taking her to the vet.

bajajudy - 11-1-2007 at 01:35 PM

I think if it were parvo, your dog would have died by now.

Bajagypsy - 11-1-2007 at 01:38 PM

Bajajudy, That's what i thought....

Stickers - 11-1-2007 at 01:48 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by MrsFDT

ok, in this arena I do have the expertise. Ive been dealing with this sort of stuff for a very long time. These are the major causes of sudden unexplained diarreah...........

Sorry about all the mis spellings. lol Im horrible with it.


Mrs FTD, I am not sure about any misspelling but you seem to be a genius.

:wow::wow:

Bob H - 11-1-2007 at 07:35 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Stickers
Quote:
Originally posted by MrsFDT

ok, in this arena I do have the expertise. Ive been dealing with this sort of stuff for a very long time. These are the major causes of sudden unexplained diarreah...........

Sorry about all the mis spellings. lol Im horrible with it.


Mrs FTD, I am not sure about any misspelling but you seem to be a genius.

:wow::wow:


I totally agree! Mrs. FDT should join fdt on the radio show, for sure.... Bob H

docsmom - 11-1-2007 at 09:54 PM

Gypsy,
Please bite the bullet and take the dog and a stool sample to the vet. If you don't get a clear diagnosis from the vet, then mess around with other suggestions. Diahrrea for this extended period is nothing to take lightly. By now your dog could be experiencing many damaging effects to it's organs and system from the prolonged dehydration. IMHO, see the vet now!

bajabound2005 - 11-1-2007 at 11:11 PM

Giardia is the likely culprit; our lab got it about 2 yrs ago; well, truth be told I don't know if that was it or not; but she had the liquid runs and occasional vomiting (not unlike symptoms we had which was CONFIRMED as giardia a few years back, from Puerta Vallarta, not Baja!); took her to the vet in Ensenada who prescribed a couple of things --- 3 days later she was fine. Now she is 9 1/2 years old and thinks she is still 9 1/2 MONTHS old.

DrTom - 11-2-2007 at 09:35 AM

if you still havent seen a vet you can u2u me.....I dont play a vet on tv but i am one. BTW lots of well intentioned replies but a consult with a professional is best. Too many horror stories to mention....

Thank you

MrsFDT - 11-2-2007 at 07:25 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by DrTom
if you still havent seen a vet you can u2u me.....I dont play a vet on tv but i am one. BTW lots of well intentioned replies but a consult with a professional is best. Too many horror stories to mention....


Kudos, Ask your vet first.:light:

Thank You, Mrs. fdt

Gypsy Jan - 11-2-2007 at 07:41 PM

This is very valuable and well-explained info.

Our dogs (children) trust and depend on us to protect them.

[Edited on 11-3-2007 by Gypsy Jan]

MrsFDT - 11-3-2007 at 05:25 PM

Thanks Gypsy, but I do always stress that one should always talk to their vet before doing anything suggested by others. (including myself).

I do what I need to do for my own and have the background as well as the support from my own vet to do it with. So in short I also talk to my vet first when in doubt.

Paula - 11-3-2007 at 07:27 PM

Thank you, MrsFDT for your thoughtful post. I bookmarked it in my computer in case we ever need it for Fillmore

Bajagypsy - 11-4-2007 at 07:42 PM

Glad to say, I gave her some childrens Kaopectate (like pepto for kids) and cooked up some rice. She is great, my mom had her for the weekend, as we were out of town, and she was running around like a lunatic, and no more runs!!!!

DrTom - 11-4-2007 at 08:28 PM

last year, a client of mine, emailed me about his dog that had diarrhea in mexico. Turned out he had an intestinal foreign body-obstruction. Dog died. In the time his owners were treating the diarrhea with various remedies, the bowel perforated and he died. I just cant emphasize enough the need to contact a professional in these circumstances. One problem in rural mexico and baja is that not many vets have xrays or ultrasound equipment/expertise. Dealing with a foreign body/obstruction often is straightforward, but differentiating between viral/parasitic/stress colitis and an obstruction isnt always easy.

fandango - 11-4-2007 at 08:46 PM

bajagypsy, please listen to drtom, take her to see the a doctor.

DrTom - 11-5-2007 at 08:21 AM

oh, bajagypsy's dog is probably ok now, I just gave that last reply so that future nomads reviewing this site, in an effort to address their dog's gastrointestinal issues, are informed that where most diarrheas are from dietary indescretion and stress, many are not. Problem with diarrhea (besides the obvious) is that lots of diseases have diarrhea as one of the symptoms-an intestinal foriegn body being one of the most dangerous where time is of the essence. BTW parvo isnt as virulent as it used to be and I havent seen it kill a dog in years if addressed.

MrsFDT - 11-5-2007 at 11:59 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by DrTom
oh, bajagypsy's dog is probably ok now, I just gave that last reply so that future nomads reviewing this site, in an effort to address their dog's gastrointestinal issues, are informed that where most diarrheas are from dietary indescretion and stress, many are not. Problem with diarrhea (besides the obvious) is that lots of diseases have diarrhea as one of the symptoms-an intestinal foriegn body being one of the most dangerous where time is of the essence. BTW parvo isnt as virulent as it used to be and I havent seen it kill a dog in years if addressed.


Thank you DrTom and you are quite correct. welll.... um duh your a vet and dont just play one on TV....

I did have a talk with Gypsy privately and off the board to clerify what symptoms were accompanied by the diareah.

However it didnt occour to me that others in the future may read this and take out of context what is written in this case and try to use antidiareal meds to stomp out symptoms that may very well be something else entirely.

My comments were given in special circumstance. Most people are average pet owners. So I want to, for the record of future readers clerify, that I do a lot of things for my dogs concerning theyre health that most would or should not do, because I have the training and experiance to recognize and assess whats going on with a phisical exam. When in doubt after my own inicial assesment, my first call is to my vet.

No Im not just a breeder. That has only been recent in the last few years. My interest in breeding came from my facination with genetics and that stemed from the why's of disease with particular breeds. Ect. Which started in the 80's working in an animal hospital. I could go on.... years beyond that, But I wont.

I think its important to mention this here because what works for me may not be what your dog needs.

Like what DrTom said there are many symptoms than can come from one or more causes and unless you know what your looking for you NEED to call someone who does know.

Not to you Gypsy at this point, but to future readers that may pull this thread from the net.

[Edited on 11-5-2007 by MrsFDT]