Dog Constipation Following Diarrhea

by Hilary

My four month old English Bulldog Herbi has not pooped going on the third day today. As of Monday June 13th, he had diarrhea in his cage at 2am, diarrhea about 5 minutes later in the bathroom after his bath, diarrhea again at 6am, and again when I took him outside to use the bathroom. The diarrhea outside was the "liquid squirts."

I have been feeding him Eukanuba dry puppy lamb & rice since we got him 2 months ago, but the vet told us to change his food so I incorporated Nutro Ultra puppy dry food into his diet which I think might be the cause for his diarrhea on Monday because I was told to switch the food to quickly.

He's had pretty lose stool since he arrived here. It's been on and off with hard and soft but more times than not it's been soft, almost liquid. They told us to switch the food because about every other week sometimes twice a week he would have diarrhea in his cage.

He also recently for the first time had to have his anal glands drained, they thought that was the cause for him pooping in his crate at night. I didn't feed him anything on Monday since he did have diarrhea and we gave him some pepto bismol for his stomach on Monday morning also and that seemed to stop him right up, no diarrhea after that.

Tuesday I started feeding him a mixture of white rice and boiled chicken breasts for his diarrhea, which has not reoccurred since. Last night I fed him the chicken/rice mixture plus a 1/4 cup of his Eukanuba. He has a very healthy appetite and has no problem eating all of the food I provide for him.

The vet also gave him a prescription medication called "Bactisel-hk", they said it would regulate his fluoride. He is also not drinking very much water at all, which is very unusual for him, but he has to go pee at his normal times throughout the day, so I don't believe he is dehydrated.

I put pressure on his stomach and he didn't seem to be in any pain. He's not vomiting, maybe a little more lethargic than usual, but besides that no other symptoms.

The last vet appointment he had they gave him a deworming pill, a booster shot for I think rabies and checked his stool which that day was hard and they said it was negative. His stool always seems to be harder in the morning and gets softer as the day goes on.

I don't know what I should do and I don't want to go to our vet because they don't seem to be any help at all anyways, so PLEASE HELP!

Comments for
Dog Constipation Following Diarrhea

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My Online Vet Response for Dog Constipation Following Diarrhea
by: Dr. Carol Jean Tillman

Hi Hilary,
It sounds like Herbi may need to be on a 'bland diet' (such as cooked chicken and rice) for 2-3 weeks to give his GI tract a rest. Since he has had soft and/or loose stool for most of the two months that you have had him, it is too soon to start adding in his regular food.

I suspect that he has lost most of the normal flora (not fluoride) in his intestine. I am not familiar with the product Bactisel-HK, but I suspect it must be a type of probiotic containing Acidophilus.

Lactobacillus acidophilus is the beneficial bacteria that is found in a healthy GI tract. There are many different products available... PB 8 is a good brand with which I am familiar. It is for humans, and comes in a capsule form. I suggest giving him 2 capsules 2 times daily. (Open and sprinkle in 2 capsules to Herbi's food 2 times daily) for a month.

Dog diarrhea and/or frequent loose stool will cause a loss of the good bacteria. And unless it is replaced, the stool will have a difficult time returning to normal.

Feeding a DRY DOG FOOD is too difficult for the GI tract to digest. The intestine must secrete MORE fluid in order to digest dry dog food. Therefore, avoiding dry food, perhaps forever, may be the best treatment plan for Herbi. He will be healthier on a canned dog food, or even a raw dog food diet, in the long run. Giving him tartar control dog treats will help his teeth, NOT DRY DOG FOOD.

Also, instead of giving Pepto Bismol, which is not approved for use in dogs, use Kao-Pectate. NOT the over the counter Kaopectate for people (which contains aspirin), use the veterinary version, which is a combination of only Kaolin and Pectin. He will need 2 tsp by mouth 3 times daily, for days that he has frequent diarrhea.

When he is treated with a medicine to stop the diarrhea, especially when his stool is 'liquid squirts', he will NOT have a bowel movement for 3 days or so. This does NOT mean he is constipated. It is because the medicine will stop the increase in motility, allow the GI tract to absorb the excess liquid, and on a bland, low fiber diet, there will be no stimulus to produce any stool. This is OK.

To Be Continued in Part Two.

My Online Vet Response for Dog Constipation Following Diarrhea PART TWO
by: Dr. Carol Jean Tillman

Hi Hilary,
Here is the continuation of my response.

Once the GI tract starts healing, and the normal gut flora is re-established, and you are gradually transitioning from bland food to a more balanced diet (perhaps a canned version of the lamb and rice diet he was on initially) then he should start to produce more formed stool.

Another problem that I see is giving Rabies or other vaccines to a puppy that is not entirely healthy. This will affect his immune system and slow down his ability to heal. Using dog homeopathic remedies is one way to treat this condition, sometimes referred to as 'vaccinosis'.

Seeking the help of a holistic veterinarian, using homeopathic remedies to strengthen Herbi's vital force will help him grow to be strong and healthy, and less susceptible to having a weak or sensitive GI tract.

To find a holistic veterinarian in your area click here:
find a holistic veterinarian in your area

Please keep us posted by coming back to this page and clicking the 'click here to add your own comments' link below.

Take care,
Dr. Carol Jean Tillman

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DISCLAIMER: This educational advice is based on the depth of your question and the picture you submitted. The above should never replace the advice of your local veterinarian, as they have the ability to evaluate your dog in person.

Related Pages:
- Dog Diarrhea Medicine,
- Dog Constipation Symptoms & Treatment,
- Ask a Vet Online Library - Dog Diarrhea, Constipation and/or Digestive Problems Section

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