Unexpected addition to our family through rescue on Tuesday is a 5 month GSD bitch.  Previously fed water softened Eukanuba puppy mixed with a prepared chicken meat.  I've kept her on the same diet with a view to changing gradually later on when she's more settled.  She had loose stools initially due to the stress and change of environment, but by the second day with us stools were firm.  I got her checked by a vet on Weds and she passed with a clean bill of health.  On Friday I returned her to the vets with conjunctivitis and she was treated for that.  I also mentioned that she'd has a loose stool that morning and passed mainly just mucus in a second stool (no blood).  The vet gave me an electrolyte mixture and told me to starve her for 24 hours and then give rice and chicken.  I also mentioned I felt it would be better to feed her 3 times a day as opposed to two (her previous routine before she came to us) the vet agreed.

Yesterday she was ok with the first two lots of chicken and rice (with a very few added mixed veg) but a couple of hours after the last meal she had diarrhea again, worse than before. 

I left her overnight in the kitchen with ample water and there was more loose motion this morning (not much though) and a massive pool of vomit where the rice and chicken had been thrown up.

I have walked her and at about 8.30 and 9.00 there's been more loose stools again with mucus.  She doesn't seem unduly unwell.

When I gave her the chicken and rice I used the fat and stock from the chicken to boil the rice - do you think it was too rich for her, and I should have just used the chicken flesh with plainer rice, is this what's contributed to her having the runs?

I rang the vet and they said they will see her for an extra charge today if I don't think it can wait until tomorrow, but I am wondering if I should try her on some child electrolyte balance from the chemist and then in very small portions slowly re-introduce her previously fed food starting tomorrow midday.  I asked the vet nurse if it was likely that the vet would give her anything other than the rehydration treatments (ie an injection for sickness or diarrhea) but she was non committal. 

I am not sure whether to just use my own common sense and see how she goes, or whether to take her down the vets, as she's drinking ok, and is apparrantly well in herself.  I need to decide soon as the emergency surgery starts at 10am and I will have to use public transport to get there so need to allow plenty of time.

I forgot to mention she is vaccinated and wormed up to date.  I am thinking of getting Dioralyte from the chemist and seeing how she goes starving until tomorrow - maybe take her then if she's still not able to tolerate food.

I wouldn't have given her the fat from the chicken, this could well be some of your problem.  When you feed chicken and rice the idea is that it is a bland food.  Try dry chicken with boiled rice without any stock or fat and see how that goes.  Kaolin mixture is also very good.  They now do a kaolin without the morphine content.

Great stuff - thank you for that. 
I will approach Boots the Chemist about Dioralyte and Kaolin, starve her until this evening and then try the fresh chicken meat only and plain rice.

Very grateful for your advice :) thank you.

Managed to find a really old thread from 2002 on here (cached in Google) I am off to get some Aloe Vera juice from the Health food store and try that.

Also scrambled eggs as well as the chicken or fish and rice. With Dioralyte available.

I'm going to get an organic bio natural yoghurt too (and Kaolin for the cupboard).

I will just start with the bland food and aloe vera juice and persevere with that for a couple of days - should I give the bio yoghurt aswell or am I overdoing it?

I wouldn't start mixing and matching yet until you have the diarrhoea under control.  Bio yoghurt is fine but just use chicken & rice for now otherwise you won't know what is giving her the tummy upset.  Also when scrambling eggs there is no need for the milk, just eggs are fine, but keep on the chicken & rice for now.

OK! Thanks so much Alison

Brilliant timing as I was just about to scramble the eggs, but I'll stick with the rice and chicken for now then.  I didn't have chance to get to the health food shop for the aloe vera juice, as I have to go and pick up a crate from the other side of London this afternoon, but I did make it to the chemist and have given her (5ml) Kaoline and morphine.  Just going to try the bio yog now and then small chicken and rice - 1/3 chicken 2/3 rice?

Doesn't really matter on the amounts, just keep it bland so that it doesn't upset the stomach more.

Had a trip to the vets today and was given 5 day antibiotics and Precription Diet, as well as lots of 'good bacteria' capsules for her tummy.  The vet told me to continue with the K&M for a few days (she hates it bless her) and I am also administering fucithalmic eye drops as she had conjunctivitis aswell when I got her.  She's still getting used to me, and I am introducing teeth brushing daily and two of her baby teeth have popped out in the past few days (one when the syringe went in with the K&M and one when I was trying to do the tooth brushing for the first time).

Poor baby, she's so placid, and everytime I go near her it's to do something she doesn't like!  I'm making up for it with reassurance and walks, and the occasional fuss - not too much as I'm still establishing pack leadership.

I am going to introduce a new food when she's off the PD in 5 days, just researching the best thing for her at the moment.  I use Arden Grange for my CHihuahuas and cats, so will speak to them, but also am considering a Nature diet that was mentioned to me by someone whos doggie had a sensitive tum.

Thanks for everyones advice.
:)

Poor baby, she's so placid, and everytime I go near her it's to do something she doesn't like!  I'm making up for it with reassurance and walks, and the occasional fuss - not too much as I'm still establishing pack leadership.

I hope she improves, it's horrible having an ill dog especially one so young.

Just wanted to say that giving your dog fuss is fine :) I'm concerned you feel it may not be OK to do more than occasionally due to you wanting to establish pack leadership. You don't have to be a pack leader - the dog recognising you as "leader" is more to do with training, how you interact, games you play with the dog etc :) 

There are lots of views about pack leadership or not, but people do now  realise that you honestly don't have to follow pack rules to have a well trained, happy and obedient dog that you can fuss when you want to :D

My dog is prone to colitis, she was originally on Nature Diet and we ended up using a Hills ID prescription diet, she is still on this and doing very well. She can intererestingy eat marrow bones as a treat, which she loves :) I think dogs vary a lot as to what their best food is, but we have stuck to Hills I/D now for over a year as nothing else suits ...

Lindsay
x

:D  Thanks Lindsay

Hooray I can give her a bit more fuss!  My dog trainer says to keep it to a minimum to make the positive praise through training more appreciated aswell - and as she's off her food to the tum probs I was adhering to it down tot he letter.

Once the pooch is back on track I am going to sit in on his classes as I would like to get  more into dog training.  I have looked for recreational classes, but there's not many, and most were not certified either.  Have you any recommendations?  I've picked up on a couple of book theads here that you have contributed to, but I don't want to do too much that may conflict as i train both the Chi's and the GSD all with the same guy.

I'd start by recommending checking out www.apdt.co.uk for a class near you, the training should be kind, fair and effective so a good combination :)

Trainers tend to do different things, from good citizen classes aiming for getting the award, to good manners, obedience, trick training, agility etc. A book that is often recommended as being excellent is Pam Dennisons's "the complete idiot's guide to positive dog training" - I've not yet met anyone who doesn't rate it well, I've not got it myself though so I'm just going on their thoughts. I know of the author though and she's a good trainer.

Hth a bit? I may be able to recommend a particular trainer if I know where you are, depends; you can PM if you want :)

Lindsay
x

Thanks so much for that information Lindsay, much appreciated.  I will definitely check out the PD book.

I'm a bit rushed for time at the moment, I had a long appointment this morning and 2 sessions of dog training with 2 different dogs this afternoon and evening - and now the pets are sorted I'd better get cracking on the kids! ;)

PS - solid poo from my GSD finally - deep joy!!!! :D