Hi There,

Our bitch gave birth to 7 lovely large breed Pups 2 weeks ago. We had 8 but 1 didn’t make it. Before Thursday just gone (26th Oct) all pups were fine. Then suddenly 1 started having Grainy Puppy Poo/Diarrhoea. We took him straight to vets where they gave him an antibiotic of Synulox via injection. He went back Friday for a check up and had another injection. Vet also advised to worm puppies straight away which we did with drontal (wanted Panacur but couldn’t get any from anywhere) diarrhoea still kept on with pup so we kept giving extra water and 2 oral doses of Synulox. Unfortunately on 30th 2 other pups have started having diarrhoea. Vet advised us to give them Synulox as well and extra milk if they aren’t gaining lots of weight.

I should say that all pups are gaining weight and appear happy and have opening eyes and are walking around. Mum feeding and doing well although they have put on antibiotic as she felt very warm underneath. They wanted to to nip Any possible chance of infection in her. Diarrhoea is not completely water. It’s a bit thicker (mustard colour) and has some ‘bits’ in it. Has anyone had this before? This is my partners and I’s first litter and we are worried. We have sent stool sample to vets and they are testing. Mum is on Lactol as vet advised to put her on it.

Um, it sounds to me like your vets is very heavy on unnecessary AB use...

I wouldn't have put a 2wk old puppy on synulox unless a last resort or I was really worried.  There can be many causes of puppy diarrhorea and if they are gaining weight and seem normal in all other respects, I don't think ABs should be used on puppies this young when they are not even weaned - by itself it could be enough to CAUSE diahorrea!  You're dealing with immature digestive systems and immune systems here :(

It's also well known that putting the mother on ABs can cause diahorrea in the pups - so I would just have assumed that the cause of it in the other pups, is due now to the mother being on ABs.  Being 'slightly warm' is not a reason to put a bitch on ABs, especially whilst nursing pups!!  There need to be clear signs of mastitis before that.  Bitches DO get very warm down there- they have multiple hot puppies digging around in there, and huge undercarriages....

Normal puppy poo has mustard seed like bits in it - that's what it looks like. 

Frankly, I think your vets are excessively overprescribing medication and it's not helping you or the pups.  It's now impossible to tell what is due to the meds and what would be there anyway.  If one injection of Synulox didn't help, two are not going to help more and neither are ongoing oral tablets.... Goodness....

Please know that most vets are not experienced at dealing with litters of puppies, reproduction or lactation.

I would put the bitch on a good probiotic - like ProPlan Forti Flora - and monitor the pups for health in other respects.  Once weaned, they can also have some probiotics added to their food and if it's still a problem.

Hi, I had a similar problem with my last litter. My whole litter one by one caught a tummy bug with grainy poo. I tried starving them for 24 hours (they were 7 weeks old) and reintroduced food, plain and bland i.e. White fish with mashed potato/rice, gradually. This didn't help and I took pups and a stool sample to the vets. Vet prescribed pro-kolin (which didn't help at all) whilst awaiting sample results. I treated them with panacur as it can also treat giardia as well as worm the pups. Results came back clear, an antibiotic injection was given as well as the panacur and all pups were clear of if grainy poo!! Puppy food was reintroduced gradually (royal canin sensitive) and I found a small amount of live natural yogurt was beneficial to put the good bacteria into the gut. I know how frustrating it can be dealing with upset tummies especially when they're so young

Hi There,

Thanks for this. I was concerned that maybe AB was playing a part. The first one has now finished his AB course so I will keep an eye on him. Mum finishes hers tonight. I should say that Mum eating like a horse (Dr Johns Puppy Biscuits and a Chicken Breast 4 Times a day) Is Callo Cal D OK to keep her on. Vet said that it was good to help keep calcium up.

The puppy poo I guess is supposed to be 'gloopy' sort of texture with Mustard seeds in it etc?

Will certainly look at Probiotic. I'm waiting to hear from Vets in regards to what their tests say about stool sample sent in. I just thought it was a little strange and some pups did didn't have anything wrong with their Poo.

Thanks so much for replying!

What mum is eating can definitely be affecting the pups...

I haven't heard of Callo Cal D.  After whelping, calcium is only needed if you notice the bitch behaving weirdly - nesting, moving puppies, hiding, stress, growling - then act immediately and give calcium.  Giving extra vitamin D is not good.  Does Callo Cal D have vitamin D in it?

If you need to give calcium... there are 2 kinds:

Calcium Carbonate:  This is the most common form of supplemental calcium but it must be taken with food for it to be effective. Calcium carbonate is the form found in most antacids and supplements, such as Tums, Calsorb, and OralCal Plus.  It is also the type most often found in dairy products, such as ice cream.
Calcium Citrate: This is the most effective oral supplement but it is harder to find. It is absorbed as soon as the dog eats it and it does not need to be taken with food. Citrical is the most common example.

ladypugg - all your puppies getting something at 7wks is a completely different situation to a 2k old pup having runny stools.

Hi There,

Yes Callo Cal D does have Vitamin D. Vet recommended it to us. I mix it with her water over the day. She has 30ml per day as its 1ml per 1 Kg.

What food is better for her? Is chicken not good to give?

Mum hasn't been moving puppies etc but she has been digging. She doesn't do it as much at the moment but if we let her in the garden and leave her she may start digging to China!!. Should I change her Calcium? Is it safe do that after her having the one she has?

Thanks again!

It won't do any harm to keep her on calcium (not vitamin D preferably), especially if she is digging a bit (probably just after pains still). 

The reason vit D isn't great is that, unlike calcium, Vitamin D is stored in the fatty tissues of the body and the liver and too much can cause problems.  Excess calcium doesn't stay in the body.  Here's an article about vit D poisoning:  http://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions/toxicity/c_dg_vitamin_d_toxicity   She doesn't need the vitamin D, it's just that often calcium is sold with D added for some reason.

I wouldn't change her food now, if she is ok on it - you don't want to cause upset stomach of her or pups due to switching food right now.  Chicken is fine to give - high protein is good.

All really good advice so far. I do hope you do not advertise your puppies as Akitas as they are cross bred puppies.

I've not read all your answers but have you given the puppies some natural yogurt?   If possible goats yogurt which is available in many stores now?   We always wormed our puppies (using Sherleys) at 2 weeks and every 2 weeks after that, worming mum with her normal worming meds when the puppies had their first worming.

"Please know that most vets are not experienced at dealing with litters of puppies, reproduction or lactation."

Absolutely!

"I would put the bitch on a good probiotic - like ProPlan Forti Flora - and monitor the pups for health in other respects.  Once weaned, they can also have some probiotics added to their food and if it's still a problem."

Yogurt is a probiotic.