# Diarrhea because of food change?



## jamescc (Feb 3, 2010)

I got my Beagle puppy last Monday but the dog food the breeder was feeding him cannot be bought in NJ. So we got what they recommended other than that. We mixed the food up over 3 days but ran out of the original food. Now he has awful diarrhea and he just puked. Yesterday was the 1st full day of the new food and today is the 2nd. Is it almost 100% the change in diet? Does it also make him puke too? I don't know what to do and I am extremely nervous! I called the vet and they said its most likely the food change. Now he is shaking just a bit. I am so nervous. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks JC


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## Kyllobernese (Feb 5, 2008)

Have you taken your puppy in for a Vet check? That should be done as soon as possible after you get your puppy. The Vet can check him over, probably give you some wormer if he needs it and set up your schedule for shots.

How old is the puppy?


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## jamescc (Feb 3, 2010)

We took him to the vet on Saturday and he said he was healthy. the stool sample revealed he had a intestinal thing in which we are giving him medicine in his food. He is 14 weeks now. Thanks for the help.


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## jamescc (Feb 3, 2010)

He is on Metrondazole and Panacur.


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## Labsnothers (Oct 10, 2009)

I agree, keep in touch with the vet. 

If a dog is having trouble keeping anything down or continuing diarrhea try this out of the manual I have from a large, knowledgeable dog guide school.

Bland recovery diet for dogs.

3 parts cooked rice, one part boiled hamburger or chicken, or cottage cheese. I think you can substitute boiled potatoes for the rice. Once in an emergency, we bought a plain baked potato from Wendy's.

This is meant for short time settling a dog's digestive tract. It is not the complete and balanced diet they need long term. I have seen it work.

If the bland diet settles him, then slowly work in the other food. I strongly suggest sticking to the breeders food when you can. Maybe you would have been OK if you had a little more and could have stretched the change out longer.


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## jamescc (Feb 3, 2010)

Labsnothers said:


> I agree, keep in touch with the vet.
> 
> If a dog is having trouble keeping anything down or continuing diarrhea try this out of the manual I have from a large, knowledgeable dog guide school.
> 
> ...


Thank you so much. I'm going to put some white rice in his food as recommended by my Vet. Also I think I'm going to change him to Eukanuba and they suggested switching over a 10 day period. I'm just so nervous. I feel terrible for the little guy. He has been sleeping for an hour now. We love him so much and just want him to get better. Thanks JC


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## jamescc (Feb 3, 2010)

he seems a bit better but I'm still worried. I gave him some white rice. He won't eat his puppy food though and he is sleeping a ton. I mean he looks drains. I just feel sooooo bad for him. I'm just sooooo worried about him. Thanks for the help JC


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## Labsnothers (Oct 10, 2009)

Lethargy + diarrhea = parvo Panic. Call the vet now.


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## jamescc (Feb 3, 2010)

He just got his first check up Staturday and the Vet said everything was good. If not better by tomorrow morning I'm running him up to the Vet. Thanks JC


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## Michaelbe (Feb 2, 2010)

How does the diarrhea and vomit smell? Parvo has a very nasty, sour, strong odor. Smell it once and you'll never forget it. My rescue pup came down with parvo three days after we got him. He survived but spent nine days in the hospital.

In one of your earlier posts you mentioned he vomited after eating right when you first got him so perhaps he just has a very sensitive stomach.

Michael


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## Labsnothers (Oct 10, 2009)

Good point on the smell. Parvo is so nasty, it is best to over react if there is any chance of it.


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## jamescc (Feb 3, 2010)

No smell to be honest with the Diarrhea but the vomit smelled like vomit. Nothing out of the ordinary from vomit. I think he does have a sensitive stomach. Should changing dog food cause this much of problem? Thanks guy I'm so nervous. i haven't slept a wink all day and I barely ate. JC


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## Mistersonvu (Feb 16, 2010)

it might be Giardia, you might need to take him to the vet with a serial stool sample to find out. GOOD LUCK!


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## Robrowe (Jan 25, 2010)

I have to agree with the Vet visit. While it is common place for a dog to develop the runs after an abrupt food change the vomiting is not. A call to the vet may be all that is needed. This may be a result of the meds and sometimes vaccinations will have an adverse reaction for a day or two.

Food changes should be done over a 13 day period starting with 1/4 of the new mixed with 3/4 of the old for 4 days then 1/2 and 1/2 for 4 days then 3/4 and 1/4 for 4 days then finally over to 100% of the new on day 13.

Yes the smell of Parvo infested excrement is something that once you have smelled it you will never forget it. Its plainly the smell of death! 
I have smelled it twice in my life, the first from a 7 month old beagle that didnt survive it and the second from a 3 month old Lab that did. The survival rate of Parvo is directly related to early treatment.


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## jamescc (Feb 3, 2010)

He has giardia but I knew that already. he is taking 2 medicines for that. I took Buddy to the vet this afternoon just to be safe. He had a slight temperture. He got anitibotics and and a spray for his mouth that coarts his belly for the diarrhea. i feel much better now and he feels much better now. Do you think taking all these medicines at the same time is bad? the vet abviously knows what he is doing. Thanks JC


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## Labsnothers (Oct 10, 2009)

Giardia is a pain, but not life threatening. Good Luck.


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## jamescc (Feb 3, 2010)

Thanks guys he is BACK to being the puppy we love. He is playing,he is up and about. He is playing with his toys. Its a GREAT sight! Last night he got up in at 3am and came over to me and just started licking my face for 10 minutes then just went back to sleep as if to say thank you for getting me to feel better and comforting me through this. It was soooo cute. So Buddy looks great again,Thank goodness JC


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## Poly (Sep 19, 2007)

Glad that your dog is recovering.

Giardiasis - sometimes called "beaver fever" - is a very "strange" disease. It can be tough to diagnose for certain without a specific antigen test. The common fecal flotation test is not always reliable. And despite it's common name, it isn't necessarily transmitted by beavers.

On the other hand, with proper care - as you have been doing - it is pretty easy to control and generally the symptoms clear up without any lasting effects. Putting up with the vomiting and the diarrhea is usually the worst part of the whole deal.

Some dogs do become "carriers" in the sense that they harbor the giardia organism - i.e, show up as a positive on the test - but they do not show any overt symptoms of the disease. 

Also, there is apparently no immunity after a bout of the disease, and adult dogs can suddenly develop giardiasis just as puppies can. 

Finally, it is possible that humans and other pets can be infected from dogs - we just don't know enough about the disease for sure to say this is not possible. Keep other pets away from your dog. Maintain sanitary practices and make sure you wash everything well - including yourself and anyone else who contacts the dog - until the test shows up negative. Disinfect with a bleach solution as much as you can. The disease can actually be more dangerous in humans and other animals than it is in dogs, especially so in children. If you or any family member develop symptoms of giardiasis, see a doctor.


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