# 5 month old lhasa has diarrhea..advice please



## mouseling (Apr 4, 2007)

i searched the forums for info, but i figure since my question is particular to my puppy i should just ask it.

basically Obi, my 5 month old lhasa apso, started having loose stools 3 days ago (on monday really). he has been going regularly, at the same times he always does, and his appetite has been very good and he doesn't seem to show signs of dehydration. his mood has been really good and he doesn't show any behavioral change, and we even bought him a new nylabone on monday and he has been running around the house, tossing it in the air, doing all his usual happy puppy things. his stools are just suddenly not the same solid consistency as usual. 

on monday evening he also threw up in his crate, and the vomit looked sort of strange, no blood or anything, but it just had some strange unidentifiable little chunks in it that he might have picked up outside, as well as a few puppy teeth, as he's been losing teeth like CRAZY for the last 4 days and i know this has caused him discomfort.

he hasn't thrown up again, but he has continued to have loose stools. now they aren't VERY loose or watery, more just like, mushy, and sometimes half solid and half just a pile of mush. and like i said before he goes at the normal times, morning afternoon and evening, however, he will go about 3 times in different spots everytime he goes, which is not normal for him. aside from being mushy, his stools have looked normal as far as color and not containing blood or anything else odd. the only time it didn't look normal was yesterday morning, when one of his piles looked a little watery and had a yellow color. but other than that one time they have all looked the same; normal color, no foreign objects, and somewhere in between a mushy and half solid consistency.

now, i've been hesitant to take him to the vet just yet, seeing as how he seems to be acting very happy and doesn't look like he's in any discomfort at all, and i know that with our older lhasa, when something is even slightly wrong with her health, she immediatly shows signs by acting very catatonic and withdrawn, dropping her tail between her legs, and losing her appetite, etc. 

however; i AM a bit worried just because on sunday we took him to the dog park for the first time and he ran around and played for a couple hours, and even though i kept my eye on him the whole time to make sure he didnt get into any trouble, i know its a possibility for him to have picked something up from another dog or just the general environment, like maybe parasites, even though he finished all his shots and dewormings about 2 weeks ago, i know it could still happen... right?

if he had picked up any sort of parasites, how quickly would it affect him? because it was really that very same evening, and then the next morning that he started having the diarrhea. 

is it also possible that his stomach could not be feeling well from the teething process? i know that he's been swallowing his own teeth, and probably blood, as he's been forcing his own teeth out and his gums have been slightly swollen and bleeding. 

so basically the situation now is just the persistant loose stools, at normal times, but not normal looking, they haven't gotten better, but haven't gotten worse, his behavior and attitude are still good.

should i try treating him at home? i've read on a few websites that you can treat dogs with things like pepto bismol or immodium, or put them on a bland diet of some rice and chicken, or yogurt. is plain pasta okay too? should i try treating him at home for the next day and see if he gets better before taking him to the vet?

my puppy's health is obviously the most important thing to me, but i'm also a relatively poor college student, and if this is something i can take care of at home, i'd much rather do that, than spend the $100 i know it will cost to have him checked out at the vet.  

i will definitly take him if i notice any change in his condition, or if it doesn't get better by tomorrow. but for right now does anyone have any ideas what might be up with him or what i can do to help him?


----------



## sonnyt (Apr 4, 2007)

ok well here is what happened to me what time and what i did. my dog just one day whent all wierd she started throwing up 2-4 times a day then she wouldnt poop or anything and then when she did it was really gross and looked like tar! and when i picked it up it was like diarreah, she got really skinny cause she wouldnt eat and she threw up on her self and she STUNK bad, the ghetto way if you would like to call it is to just give then some pedialite every day like to drink not alot but just acouple doses a day and then we used just maybe a tablespoon or less of imodiam a-d for kids! yes it sounds dangerous because its human medicene but it was HIGHLY EVECTIVE she was back to normal in a couple of days after being sick for a week. the pedialite may not apply to you becuase he hasnt lost strength but go ahead if you want finally imodiam a-d works great! REMEMBER GET THE IMODIAM AD FOR KIDS!!!!! NOT ADULTS IT MIGHT BE TO STRONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111


----------



## sonnyt (Apr 4, 2007)

ok well here is what happened to me what time and what i did. my dog just one day whent all wierd she started throwing up 2-4 times a day then she wouldnt poop or anything and then when she did it was really gross and looked like tar! and when i picked it up it was like diarreah, she got really skinny cause she wouldnt eat and she threw up on her self and she STUNK bad, the ghetto way if you would like to call it is to just give then some pedialite every day like to drink not alot but just acouple doses a day and then we used just maybe a tablespoon or less of imodiam a-d for kids! yes it sounds dangerous because its human medicene but it was HIGHLY EVECTIVE she was back to normal in a couple of days after being sick for a week. the pedialite may not apply to you becuase he hasnt lost strength but go ahead if you want finally imodiam a-d works great! REMEMBER GET THE IMODIAM AD FOR KIDS!!!!! NOT ADULTS IT MIGHT BE TO STRONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111


----------



## briteday (Feb 10, 2007)

I don't think it would hurt to drop off a fresh stool specimen to the vet to check for parasites. It's one of the reasons I don't take my dogs to a dog park. If that's negative and the vomiting and loose stools isn't horrible, I might try giving her jsut pedialyte for a day, clear liquids only, let the system clear out, and then slowly, in small amounts try feeding her again. If a little bit of kibble stays down then give her a little more a few hours later. 
Sometimes, mine included, they get into stuff they shouldn't. However, if she stops eating or drinking, vomiting worse or watery stools, I would get into the vet ASAP.


----------



## poodleholic (Mar 15, 2007)

At least take a stool sample in to your vet clinic (you won't be charged for an office visit, just the fecal). 

Do not give your puppy Immodium AD w/out first talking to the vet. You CAN give pepto bismol, but be careful in giving it to him, because he could aspirate, and then you're in trouble. Get a syringe from the pharmacist that will dispense the cc dosage of pepto bismol. Keep your puppy's mouth closed (teeth together), slide your finger along the inside of his mouth and gently pull cheek away from the teeth. Place the syringe along side the teeth and inside of cheek, then slowly and gently push the syringe plunger to dispense the pepto. You may have to give just a tiny amount several times to ensure your puppy doesn't aspirate into his lungs. 

You can also give your puppy canned pumpkin. NOT the canned pumpkin pie mix, just plain pumpkin. Works great.

A bland diet would be good. Poached chicken (white meat only) shredded with a fork and added to white rice, or poached ground sirloin. 

Good luck!


----------

