Hello,

I help someone can help me!  We have a 10 month old male Lab called Max. He has been a bit off colour the last two days - I think it may be a combination of change in routine over christams and we are having some work done in the house which means that strangers have been in and out. 

Anyway he has had a couple of very loose stools and this morning I found a bit of sick in his crate, he has also been desperate to get up and go out to the loo (he is normally a bit lazy!)  Yesterday he woke me up crying at 4.00 in the morning and he looked so greatful when I came down and let him in the garden even though it was pouring with rain!

My husband wants to starve him for a day to see if it helps - Is this a good idea?  Also when we do start feeding again I want to start him off on a really bland diet (normally on Nuto for large breed puppies)  What do people suggest?

Thanks in advance
Kate

I think I would ring the vet just to be on the safe side...

Animals, if left to themselves, generally starve themselves when they are ill; it is nature's way.  To rid the body of toxins, bacteria, mucus etc etc.  As long as water is available this is not a problem; most animals can survive perfectly well several days with no food; it is dehydration that is the killer.  Most dogs and other animals have an adequate supply of body fat which the body can burn off if necessary, however as most sick dogs also have a reduced activity level these two factors combined mean less intake is obviously necessary :D

In the first instance I would starve a dog for 24 hours (no matter what its age) and monitor it closely to make sure that it is drinking.  I would then think of introducing some live yoghurt and/or some slippery elm food. The former will repopulate the inflamed gastric system with essential kind bacteria which diarrhoea will have stripped, the latter will soothe the inflammation.

If the diarrhoea persisted, contained lots of mucus, blood I would get to the vet asap as antibiotics would be needed. 

Labs and other gundogs tend to get into trouble by eating too much or the wrong things :D. 

Foods that contain the required nutrients with the least amount of additives would be Naturediet (wet complete) or Burns (complete dry).

This is only MPO and without seeing the dog it is impossible to give anything but an overall view.  Veterinary advice can only be obtained by a vet.

HTH

id say much the same thing. starve for 24 hours, then a bland diet for the next day or so, gradually introducing normal food. provided he does not start to vomit more,and takes in fluids, water only to be on the safe side, little and often with the chill taken off. if he continues to have diarr, and goes off colour, then best to get him looked at by a vet. 9 times out of ten tho its just a case of gut rot and the starve etc does the job! if he has diarr for more than a day and you see small streaks of blood, again dont panic, its not uncommon, but if there is no change after the next 12 hours or so, again ring the vet.