Puppy with Loose Stools

Question:

Hi,
I have a Cavalier king charles spaniel that is 5 months old and has had loose stools since we got him. He was treated with an antibiotic and once that was done the stools became loose again. He was on the diet of hamburger & rice for two weeks. I have tried pectin and that has helped get him to a pudding state. I am looking for some more info on the Gastrigen. Can I use this on a pup? I really need help.
Laura S.

Response:

Hello Laura,
Thank you for your inquiry to Holistic Pet Info. A few questions, what was the antibiotic he was treated with and for how long? If he was being treated for coccidia he may need to be on a longer duration of treatment since the diarrhea returned after finishing. I’m concerned he was on hamburger and rice for so long as a puppy since that is not a balanced and nutritious diet.

I highly recommend a holistic natural whole meat and grain diet for puppies. Some dogs with chronic diarrhea respond to a well-balanced home cooked diet, which includes vegetables, vitamins and healthy fats. You may try Gastrigen, but a supplement such as Gastriplex by Thorne with probiotics may have greater effect on the GI. RuniPoo Relief by PetAlive may also aid is relieving the diarrhea, but I advise to make sure the dog has been tested for internal parasites.

Food allergies may also cause chronic GI problems, and I highly advise speaking with a holistic veterinarian to find the root of this issue and bring your dog back to a stable state of health. Best of luck.
Sincerely,
Colleen Smith DVM, CVA

Follow up question:

Hi!
The pup was on the antibiotic for two sessions. He is cleared of parasites. I did have him on a food supplement with vitamins in addition to the hamb/rice diet. Do you have a specific recipe for the home cooked meat, vegetable, vitamin & oil regimen?  I will try the Gastriplex. Could you help me with the diet plan?
Thank you!
Laura S.

Hello Laura,
I’m delighted you are interested in a home cooked diet and I have a suggestion in lieu of me writing a novels worth of diet information. An excellent reference to help you with the food, vitamins and proper caloric intake for your dog is Home-Prepared Dog and Cat Diets the Healthful Alternative, by Donald Stombeck, DVM, PhD. You can find it on the web, and it’s my first source for diets. It has a large and varied selection of diets for most health issues. It would be much simpler for you to use this book as it also has information on food quality, safety, energy requirements and dietary management of diseases. This reference can answer most of all your questions. Best of luck.
Sincerely,
Colleen Smith DVM, CVA