Severe dog diarrhea after taking arthritis medicine (Previcox)

My dog has severe diarrhea which I think is the result of his arthritis medicine (Previcox).

Here's the background: My dog has been diagnosed by my vet as having arthritis in his hind legs. He has been slowly over the last year been getting worse with getting up from a lying down position to stand.

The vet prescribed Previcox at 227 mg for him to take in order to relieve his symptoms. I gave him one pill approximately 13 days ago after he was having difficulty standing in the morning.

He woke up one morning and fell every time he tried to stand and was falling over as he was trying to walk. After 12 hrs he was able to walk and seemed fine.

Four days later he had the same problem walking/standing so I gave him another previcox. Again 12 hrs later he was walking fine but then had diarrhea.

The diarrhea has been going for about a week now. It has been very runny and dark with mucus and blood in it. It has progressively gotten worse. It started where he had to go every 4-5hrs. Now he has to go every 2 hours.

I have tried to withhold food for 24 hrs and give him Pepto Bismol and pumpkin but I have not seen much improvement. I am only feeding him plain rice and ground cooked turkey now 2 times per day and he has a full bowl of water all day.

I researched alternative treatments and yesterday I tried activated charcoal 500 mg one in am, 1 in the pm. The stool seems to be hardening up some as you can see in the pictures but it still has mucus and traces of blood. I have been up every two hours during the night for a week to let him out to eliminate. I'm not getting sleep nor is he or my 5 month old puppy.

By the way, my dog's name is Socrates. He is a 13yr old neutered, male Australian Shepherd approximately 78 pounds.

I have a bottle of Thorn Research Gastriplex dog supplement coming from pureformulas today or tomorrow in hopes that it helps to repair some of the damage from the diarrhea.

I also have Life Span Dog Arthritis Therapy coming from Evolution Pets to use in place of the prescription anti inflammatory to help relieve his arthritis symptoms.

I don't want to take him to a regular vet because the prescriptions will only cause more problems and he's at the age where I don't want to put him through test after test and further stress him. I've had a bad experience with my other senior dog 2 years ago where the vets put him through all these tests and were not able to help just stressed him out and he soon after passed away.

I'd just like to stop the diarrhea and make him as comfortable as I can for as long as he's still with me. I'm assuming the drugs caused this and is digestive track has been severely bruised.

What can I do to stop the diarrhea and help him recover?

Comments for Severe dog diarrhea after taking arthritis medicine (Previcox)

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Dec 12, 2011

My Online Vet Response for: Severe dog diarrhea after taking arthritis medicine (Previcox)
by: Dr. Carol Jean Tillman

Hello,
It certainly seems like this diarrhea is an adverse reaction to the medication Previcox. Also, I am concerned with the diagnosis of 'arthritis'.

From what you described, Socrates is able to get up but then falls over, and continues to fall when he is trying to walk. In my experience, an arthritic dog has difficulty standing, and will try to stand but seems weak, and is not able to get up all the way and just sinks back down. He has not risen high enough to fall over! Therefore, I agree that searching for a holistic veterinarian (and a second opinion), would be best for Socrates.

In the meantime, add Acidophilus
to each meal. 1/2 the human dose. This is easy to open and sprinkle into his food. He should have it supplemented for about 2-3 weeks.

Continue cooked rice, 1/2 cup plus 2 jars chicken or turkey baby food per meal. Feed him 3-4 times daily. This is much easier on the stomach and GI tract to digest.

After 3 days, start to gradually add in some canned dog food. If he has a joint/back/hip problem then a diet with more moisture in it, will be MUCH healthier than a DRY DOG food diet. This is the time to gradually switch him AWAY from dry dog food, if that is what he is eating.

Even better, consider a RAW dog food diet, for both Socrates and your new puppy! See our page on 10 Best Dog Food Options for some suggestions.

The product you have ordered, Thorne Research Gastriplex, containing slippery elm, N-Acetyl-glucosamine, and probiotic yeast is also very good to give him to restore his GI tract. And can be used in conjunction with the acidophilus (which is the beneficial bacteria normally found in the gut).

Stop the pumpkin, it contains too much fiber, and is indicated for constipation. Pepto bismol I do not even use in animals. You can continue with the charcoal.

Finally, give him NUX VOMICA 6c or 12c. This is a homeopathic remedy that is given for 'sensitivity to medication'. You can give him the dry pellets, directly from the bottle (you are not supposed to touch the pellets with your fingers).

Just pour one pellet into the cap, and put it into his mouth, or into his 'cheek pouch'. Once it touches the mucous membrane of his mouth, the remedy will be absorbed, even if he spits out the pellet.

TO BE CONTINUED ON PART TWO

Dec 12, 2011

My Online Vet Response for: Severe dog diarrhea after taking arthritis medicine (Previcos) PART TWO
by: Dr. Carol Jean Tillman

Hi,
here's the rest of my response:

OR you can add one pellet to 2 oz of Spring Water, in a glass dropper bottle. When in the water, you need to 'succuss' the bottle (hit it against the palm of your other hand 20 times before each dose). Give him one dry pellet 3 times daily for 3 days.

Or if you have dissolved it in Spring Water, then give 1/2 dropperful by mouth 3 times daily for 3 days, and shake, or 'succuss' 20 times before each dose.

Life Span Dog Arthritis Therapy by Evolution Pets which is a combination of Glucosamine, Chondroitin sulfate, and MSM, also looks like a good product. I could not find the milligram concentration of how much is in each tsp. For a 70-80lb dog, he would need about 1,500 mg-2,000 mg
of glucosamine/chondroitin sulfate TWO times daily. You cannot over dose him, so if you give more, that is ok. I would not start the Arthritis therapy until his stool is more normal.

Then, having a holistic veterinarian examine him for a second opinion, and decide what will be the best treatment plan for his condition, which of course, depends on the diagnosis. (Arthritis? Neurological? Musculo-skeletal, or a degenerative disease? etc.)

So, whether dog homeopathy is more appropriate, or dog acupuncture, or herbal therapy for dogs, will depend on what Socrates is able to tolerate and which one he will respond to the best, WITHOUT developing colitis!

Click here to find a holistic veterinarian in your area. Another resource for vets knowledgeable in homeopathy is AVH.org.

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

P.S. If you've found this service or our web site helpful, please "Like" us by clicking the like button at the top of the left margin. Thank you!

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

Jan 10, 2012

Socrates recovered
by: Anonymous

I just wanted to update you on Socrates. After doing all the things you mentioned in your response, Socrates recovered in about a week from the diarrhea and is doing much better.

He's now on Evolution's Life Span arthritis treatment and natural salmon oil instead of prescription meds. Its working well for him with no side effects. He's enjoying playing with the puppy now and taking his walks.

Thanks again for the help!

Jan 11, 2012

My Online Vet Response for: Severe dog diarrhea after taking arthritis medicine (Previcox)
by: Dr. Carol Jean Tillman

Thank you for the update on Socrates.

I am glad to hear that he has recovered from the diarrhea. And, also, that the diet and supplements are helping with his stiff joints.

Take care,

Dr. Carol Jean Tillman

Jun 23, 2012

Pumpkin
by: Anonymous

Get your dog off pumpkin. The fiber content is way to high and will make them sick.

I know a young girl who started feeding her 2 pound female mother dog canned pumpkin and it died from deydration. But some people just refuse to listen!

This pumpkin story is something that was started by someone on some goofy message forum and has been spread around on the Internet by inexperienced people. Ask any reliable vet!

Jun 23, 2012

My Online Vet Response for: Severe dog diarrhea after taking arthritis medicine (Previcox)
by: Dr. Carol Jean Tillman

Dear Anonymous,
Thank you for the posting. Yes, I agree. Pumpkin is very high in fiber and is indicated for constipation. Here is part of my response from the previous posting:

"Stop the pumpkin, it contains too much fiber, and is indicated for constipation. Pepto bismol I do not even use in animals. You can continue with the charcoal."

Fortunately, this subscriber's dog recovered, and is doing well!

Take care,
Dr. Carol Jean Tillman

P.S. If you've found this service or our web site helpful, please "Like" us by clicking the like button at the top of the left margin. Thank you!

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.

Jun 29, 2012

Thank you!
by: Anonymous

Ah, I'm SO GLAD I found this! My dog is having the same exact problem. It's 2am, and she's waking me up every half hour to go outside, I'm going insane! And she feels miserable! I started giving her glucosamine suppliments about a week ago. The information here is so vital to me, I'm going out first thing tomorrow to get the rice and chicken and the acidophilus. I'm hoping I get the same results. Again, thank you so much!

Jun 29, 2012

My Online Vet Response for: Severe Dog Diarrhea after taking arthritis medicine (Previcox)
by: Dr. Carol Jean Tillman

Hello,
It may not have been the glucosamine that triggered this acute episode of diarrhea. But feeding her the chicken, rice and Acidophilus will certainly help her to recover.

If it is due to the glucosamine, then trying a different brand may be worthwhile. Some dogs may have an adverse reaction to the shellfish, which is a common source of glucosamine.

Or you may need to seek the help of a holistic veterinarian for more 'individualized' help.

To find a holistic veterinarian in your area click on the link below
Click here to find a holistic veterinarian in your area. Another resource for vets knowledgeable in homeopathy is AVH.org.

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

P.S. If you've found this service or our web site helpful, please "Like" us
by clicking the like button at the top of the left
margin. Thank you!

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.

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