Recurring Diarrhea - Possible Worms?

lisa226

My 13 year old dachshund has been having problems with diarrhea (with mucus and sometimes blood) on and off since mid-October. She is acting completely normal--eating and drinking fine and doesn't show any signs of weight loss. The only time that she acts like she doesn't feel well is when she is actually having diarrhea outside. After she gets back inside, she acts like nothing ever happened and wants to eat again. Her doctor has had her on bland diets, Metronidazole, and now she has recently been put on a de-worming medicine (fenbendazole). She has had blood tests, x-rays, ultrasound, and fecal exam and culture, and everything came back fine. She was put on the de-worming medicine to see if it could work, before having to do anything invasive like a colonoscopy. Within a few days of being on the de-wormer, her stool began to look perfect. But then about a week after being off of the de-wormer, she began to slowly have her diarrhea come back again. So her vet wants to put her back on three days of the de-wormer now instead of waiting until three weeks pass (like he was originally going to have us do). Since the de-wormer helped so quickly does that mean that it is likely that she has worms? Or is it possible for a de-worming medicine to help diarrhea go away even if they do not have worms? She has had one dose of the second round of the de-wormer, and so far, her diarrhea seems to be the same. I am really hoping that the medicine will eventually start to help, and make it go away completely this time, since the next step would be a colonsocopy. I am so scared to have her go through that. For the past four years, she has been on medicine (an immune suppressant along with a low dossage of steroids) for her immune mediated arthritis. She is also on soloxine for her thyroid problem. Does any one know what else this sounds like if it is not worms? Thank you so much for any help!

Dana1384

If not worms, maybe some kinda of bacteria infect, have you tried maybe getting a second opinion, it never hurts.

mrsd211

Hi Lisa,

Your dog's problem sounds very similar to mine... I just took my dog, Pippa, to a 2nd vet and she agrees with our vet. She did mention a colonoscopy also, a different dewormer (possibly the one your dog is on) and a trial of different medications, before putting her through the colonoscopy. Pippa is only 8 months old and the vet mentioned that she was not too young to have Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Our next step is running complete bloodwork. She is currently eating Hill's Prescription Z/D, taking flagyl and FortiFlora. She has been on chicken and rice, some pumpkin and I didn't see any improvement with that. Do you mind me asking how much you've spent recently on tests, mainly the bloodwork? I hope your dog gets better, I know what an issue this is and how frustrating it is to not have a solid diagnosis!

briteday

I would think a course of antibiotics might be in order. Our dog recently had similar symptoms, tested for worms, etc, lots of bloodwork ($250) and they put her on amoxicillin for a week. She's been fine since. The neighbor's dog had the same thing. The vet cultured the stool and found a bacteria that birds carry. Both our dogs go into our yards near the bird feeders. So we're kinda wondering if the birds are leaving something behind in their droppings. I have thoroughly cleaned the feeder and put it away for a while.

lisa226

Thank you so much for your input. I really appreciate it. I called her doctor this morning to let him know that she is still having diarrhea and how the worm medicine is not working as well this time around. He wants her to go on Metronidazole/flagyl again for 5 days and then if in 24-48 hours after taking the medicine for 5 days she still isn't better, he wants her to come in for a colonoscopy. I just hate it when my little girl is sick.

mrsd211...The cost of the bloodwork was about $180, the radiographs were $150, the fecal culture was about $80, and the ultrasound was close to $400. These little critters can get so costly, but I just can't help handing the credit card over at the animal hospital. Anything to get my little Maggie better again!! I hope that Pippa is having a good day and feeling better.

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mrsd211

Thanks for the info. She had her first dose of Panacur today, she'll be on that for 3 days in a row, then in 3 weeks, 3 days in a row again. Bloodwork will be run after Christmas. Our original vet charges $150.00, the new one charges $110.00. I think I'll stick with the new one. They are so much nicer and seem more concerned. Pippa has her medication lined up in a row, it looks like a pharmacy shelf! She's taking the Panacur, Flagyl and FortiFlora. i have a good feeling about this, though. I told my husband next time I take her to the vet, she's going to weigh 5lbs. 2 oz., it's a hopeful guess, I'll be so happy is she just hits 5 lbs!
Our other Yorkie is named Maggie, also. I hope yours gets better, hopefully another round of meds will prevent the colonoscopy. Please keep updates coming. Have you had to eliminate treats, I'm afraid to give Pippa anything. Is your Maggie still on the bland diet?

lisa226

Poor Pippa and all of her medicine! I know what you mean about a pharmacy shelf. Maggie is already on three different types of medicine on a daily basis for other health problems. It is so hard for me to fit all of the medicines in throughout the day. I feel so bad that all so much medication is going into her little body. Maggie took her last dose of Panacur yesterday. But now she is still on the Flagyl for four more days. So far it looks like it is helping. But the last time she was on this same drug, she appeared to be getting better but then it eventually came back after being off of the medicine. But I am having positive thoughts and hoping that this time will be different. Maggie is back to her normal dog food...she eats the Hills i/d dry. I am also afraid to give Maggie anything as far as treats. It has been strictly her doggie food and she gets her pills in small pieces of cheese. That is great that the you like the new vet that you went to. I hope that Pippa gets fully better after this round of meds. It would be the best Christmas present ever for me to have Maggie better and not to have to get a colonoscopy. That would be all I needed for Christmas. Thanks so much for your concern.

briteday

I'm seeing a trend here that these dogs are being given anti-parasite meds but no antibiotics. Has anyone asked their vet why? Could the dogs actually have a bacterial infection in their intestines? What are the dogs' white cell counts?

mrsd211

Pippa has actually been on antibiotics twice since this all started. Though her poop isn't an actual terd yet, it is getting better, so I am hopeful.

Lisa ~ did you notice any side effects with the Panacur? Pippa had her 1st dose yesterday and it she seemed hyper at bedtime, wanting to play and run around. Tonight she is acting the same way, although it's very cute, I'd prefer her to do this earlier... Also after Maggie's 1st round with it, how long did it take to see a "normal" stool? The vet's instructions are 3 days on, 3 weeks off, then 3 days on again. I totally agree with you about just wanting them healthy for Christmas. 2007 has been the WORST year of my life, a lot of loss. The only good was that I got Pippa... and now she's sick. I feel optimistic, as long as she stays bouncy and braty.

lisa226

Maggie had the same exact side effect as Pippa from the Panacur! She was extremely hyper and could not calm down to go to bed, even though she was really tired. I never found anything online about that being a side effect, but it sure did have that effect on Maggie. During Maggie's first round of the Panacur, her stool began looking normal within two days. By the third day, it looked perfect. It stayed looking great for about a week after her last dose, but then it all came back again. The second round of the medicine did not work as well. Her doctor wanted us to put her back on it before the three weeks were up, since her diarrhea came back. Sadly though, it did not help this time. She is now on her last day of the Flagyl, and her stool is still not looking 100%. I am really worried about her. Did the Flagyl make Pippa feel weak and quiet? Maggie seems to be barking less and is more easy going right now than usual. This behavior began after she went on the Flagyl. How is Pippa doing today?

mrsd211

Isn't that weird about the Panacur? I couldn't find anything about it on the internet either. She took it for 3 days and I saw no improvement, so our next step is to have her bloodwork done. The Flagyl doesn't seem to affect her, but I don't see it helping. She seems happy otherwise, very strange! I have a feeling it will turn out to be Inflammatory Bowel Disease, as the vet suspects and I'm very nervous to give her the medication that's used to treat it because she's so small and I read that it can have some pretty bad side effects. Hopefully there will be a different medication. Has Maggie got any better?

lisa226

How is Pippa doing? Do you have an appointment yet at the vet? Maggie is now off of the Flagyl, and I see no improvement. It makes me nervous that this weekend is coming up on a holiday. I just wish that she would start to look better.

mrsd211

Pippa is a little better as far as she doesn't seem to be going as much. It's still liquid/mush though. She still has a day and a half with the Flagyl, but I don't think it's doing anything. No appointment yet, but I'll most likely be taking her in right after New Year's for her blood tests. I don't think that will help solve the problem, I have a strong feeling she'll be going through a colonoscopy and the thought of her boney, little 4.8 lb. body going through that makes me so nervous! Then if it turns out that it is Inflammaory Bowel Disease, the medication used to treat it scares me too!
Has Maggie lost a lot of weight? Is she still acting normal except for her potty trips? What a strange thing that our dogs seem to have the exact same symptoms!

lisa226

I'm so sorry to hear that Pippa is still dealing with diarrhea problems. Poor baby. I don't blame you for being nervous about a possible colonscopy for Pippa, as well as the medication for Inflammatory Bowel Disease. I hope and pray that Pippa and Maggie get better soon. It is very odd that they both have the same symptoms. Maggie has not lost any weight, and she is still acting as if nothing is wrong, except when she has problems pottying. Thankfully, it seems that the Flagyl has again made things better for right now. Her stool is still soft, but she has not had the liquid/mush since she started the antiobiotics. I am hoping that she will get better and better, and not regress like the last time. Right now, it she has had the same soft stool over the last few days.

timbertug

I just had to reply to this. I am brand new to this forum. I am going through the exact same thing with my 2 dogs. We have done one dose (3 day) of panacur....I thought they were better....then last night my 8 month old lab woke me with diarrhea in his crate.... so far my 3 yr old schnauzer is fine....but they have both been dealing with this.

How are your dogs?

Thanks
Angie

SnowyMoose

We generally start out with worm medicine because the biggest cause of diarrhea is worms, especially if there is blood in it. If bloodwork or fecal cultures show anything then antibiotics are in order. Some vets will still give an antibiotic but as with humans you need to be careful giving antibiotics as bacteria build defenses to them.

I would talk to your vet about possible switching foods. Sometimes as dogs get older their stomaches get a bit sensitive. Also to help the problem at home try a tablespoon of low fat cottage cheese about every 8 hours. Also canned pumpkin will help, about a tablespoon of that also.

Tibertug, you may want to take a fecal sample to your vet. Panacur does not work on coccidia, have them check for that. Even if a previous fecal was negative, coccidia are easy to miss sometimes as they are much smaller and not as dark in color as other worm eggs.

timbertug

Hi SnowyMoose,

Thanks for the reply. I have had 2 fecals done...both were negative and we have switched foods from Canidae to California Naturals.

I am sleep deprived since the 3AM diarrhea explosion so i am sorry I didn't give a complete history...Poor pup.

We aren;t due for Panacur again until the end of next week. I am about to call my vet...

Angie

snowman81

I am also failry new to the forums. We have a Morkie named Rudy and he has had diarrhea problems lately. He just stopped taking medicine for a parasite and it seems that when he stopped the medicine is when he started the diarrhea. We took him to the vet this past Saturday and the fecal exam was negative. He's been on the same food now for a couple weeks (he's only 9 weeks old) and he likes it even though it is not the best food. He's on Science Diet Small bites for puppies. We tried the Turdukken and he didn't like it and we also tried Authority (Petsmart Brand) which had great ingredients but he eats around the other food and only eats the Science Diet. We are still working on house training him but he has been having a lot more accidents lately, I am guessing because he can't hold it, but he hasn't had any in his crate. From reading this, it seems as though I may need to take him to the vet for some check ups. Do you think trying to switch his food is a good idea? I'd like to find something a little better since Science Diet has way to many fillers, but I hate to take him off it since he likes it. Any suggestions? I've had a hard time finding food small enough for him since he only wieghs 3.2 lbs right now.

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