Feeding while having loose stools

briteday · 03-24-2007, 12:06 PM

We have been in the process of some major pasture clean up. I made the mistake of not putting the dogs in the ex-pen one day and found them eating, well, horse poop and other fermenting stuff out there

The younger papillon (1.5 years) came in the house and barfed on the rug in the afternoon. All seemed well and I figured she got it out of her system before it went downstream. Apparently not so. Last night she messed in her crate 3 times. None were totally watery, but it was not pretty. I hate cleaning crates and giving baths in the middle of the night!

When I checked crates later in the morning I falso found that the older pap had upchucked a little in her crate last night.

Here's my question. Do you continue to feed your dogs normally when they have continuing loose stools (she had another semi-loose stool with mucus this morning) or do you hold back on kibble for one meal providing only water, to see if they can get rid of the junk already in their system? Do you have any other suggestions for feeding if this continues for more than a day or two? I've gotten local advice from both sides of the fence, just wondering what my buddies here on the forum would do!

cshellenberger · 03-24-2007, 07:26 PM

My suggestion would be no food for 24 hours, then start on boiled chicken and rice with some pumpkin until the illness clears. If there is no improvement , you will want to get your pups to the vet and have them checked for bacterial and parasite infections.

Alpha · 03-24-2007, 07:54 PM

I'd feed some pumpkin, with a handful of kibble to hold them through, that is providing I know what upset them and it's not anything serious.

Ginny01OT · 03-24-2007, 08:10 PM

My dog got into my garbage right after I had cleaned out my refrigerator (isn't that lovely). I found a trail of corn, paper towels, and goodness knows what else throughout the kitchen. He had diarrhea for about three days (everything I saw on the kitchen floor was coming out the other end, it was just food he was not used to eating--texas toast with cheese, french fries, corn, and the list goes on. He had diarrhea for about three days. I put food out for him but like I do, after 20 minutes I took it up, he ate what he ate and I didn't push him to eat any more. I always left fresh water down--I didn't even pick it up after 10pm because I wanted him to hydrate himself as much as he could. After the three days he was fine. Good luck!

briteday · 03-24-2007, 08:20 PM

Thanks everyone!
I kept them off food today. The older one drank more water than usual, but I could hear her tummy growling. The little one is just as spry and chipper as ever. No one had a stool today (except for the one first thing this morning) and no one had the heaves. But one of them still has some gas that has the same odor as the diarrhea I cleaned up.
I think I'll do some boiled chicken, rice, and have pumpkin on hand for Sunday. I'm sure I'll have an indication of their "status" depending on how tonight goes.
Thanks again everyone, for the ideas.

Cheetah · 03-24-2007, 10:09 PM

My dogs are usually unable to eat anything for a day, because it either comes out one end or the other (even f it's something bland), so there's no point in trying to feed them till their stomachs settle. I usually fast mine and give them kaopectate or an imodium pill.

Elijah · 03-24-2007, 10:13 PM

Cheetah-How's Shippo doing?

apbtgrl20 · 03-25-2007, 08:16 PM

make sure it not pumpkin pie filling....it has to be plain pumpkin in a can. that has worked many times for my dog.

briteday · 03-25-2007, 08:42 PM

OK, it's a couple of days later and all is well, I think. They've both had solid stools for more than 24 hours although there is still some bad gas going around! They both ate their regular kibble this morning. However, jsut because I have a good idea of what they got into I'm going to take stool samples to the vet this week just to check.
Thanks everyone!