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suspect parasite problem (Moderated by Deepika, EleanorSews)
Posted on: 5/13/07 12:56 PM ET
My son adopted a 4-year old golden retriever we think was a puppy mill mom in her previous life. She has been treated already for tape-worm (rice kind) about 2 months ago. Now she sporadically has diarrhea, scoots her bum, eats grass, some loss of appetite (also sporadic) and now today is throwing up. I would like to know if there is an EFFECTIVE over-the-counter treatment for worms available at petsmart or petco or if this absolutely requires a trip to the vet's office? The dog's energy level is up to par. She was seen by a vet not long after he got her 3 months ago. But no stool sample was done bc my son saw the rice. I'm thinking some other obscure type of worm could be there given her back-ground.
Posted on: 5/13/07 1:35 PM ET
In reply to sewfrequent
What you are describing doesn't have to be because of worms. The scooting could be because she's having a bit of trouble with her anal glands and is trying to clear them, or she just might be in need of a some doggy toilet paper. Dogs eat grass for lots of reasons - stomach aches, constipation, etc. They'll eat grass to make themselves throw up if something disagrees with them. Some seem to just like the taste/texture. What are you feeding her? It could be that she's having trouble with the type of food she's eating. I fed my dogs Pedigree for years until I realized it's primary ingredient was corn. When I switched to a higher quality food, their gastro-intestinal health improved immediately.
Beth
Beth
Posted on: 5/13/07 2:28 PM ET
In reply to sewfrequent
You really need a diagnosis before you choose a treatment. You could be giving an unnecessary medication or missing a necessary one and end up with a sicker dog and a bigger vet bill. These things require lab tests/microscopes, etc. There are prescription only meds that pet stores can't sell. She may need a diet change or an allergy treatment or any number of things.
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Posted on: 5/13/07 2:38 PM ET
In reply to sewfrequent
There are a multitude of intestinal parasites (worms and micro-organisms) that a dog can become infected with. Really, there is no substitute for having a new-to-you dog or puppy’s stool analyzed at the vet even if the dog is asymptomatic.
The symptoms you describe could also be the result of some sort of virus as well, or an upset stomach, or blocked anal glands, or even allergies (goldens, especially those from puppy mills are prone to these).
There is no over the counter remedy for the problems the dog is having, because we can’t really say what the problem is that needs to be treated. You would really need a vet to see her and probably run some tests to even determine what is the problem.
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The symptoms you describe could also be the result of some sort of virus as well, or an upset stomach, or blocked anal glands, or even allergies (goldens, especially those from puppy mills are prone to these).
There is no over the counter remedy for the problems the dog is having, because we can’t really say what the problem is that needs to be treated. You would really need a vet to see her and probably run some tests to even determine what is the problem.
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Posted on: 5/13/07 4:31 PM ET
Thanks, friends. She will be going to the vet tomorrow. I was pretty sure there wasn't an effective de-wormer. Al said the vet did look under the microscope before but some of these parasites don't show up in stools, necessarily. I appreciate the info on allergies possibly causing this bc she has been on pedigree and he switched her to purina one. I will see if it also has corn in it bc this has been happening on both foods. He was also giving her chews a lot and i told him to take them away --was just sure that was it! he's a stool-watcher and doesn't miss much lemme tell ya but what he describes sounds like a description of a stool caused from whip-worm..basically last half is kind of slimy. This girl hasn't had a very good life but she sure loves al to pieces and is just the PERFECT dog in every way. It just is kind of sad to think her first 4 years were probably horrid. He got her from a rescue club who rescued her from a pound after the puppy mill dumped her there. i HATE people who mistreat animals!! her heart is so huge and her universe is now my son. she is smart and just loves attention. does not whine, bark, jump and is completely house-trained. she is treated extremely well like nite and day he may treat her a little too well asking me how much exercise is too much. he takes her out 2x each day--comes home at lunch and then a bed-time run... EVERY day. my vet (not his) says he may be over-doing it a tad
told him you're gonna kill her w/ kindness between the runs and the chewies!
told him you're gonna kill her w/ kindness between the runs and the chewies!
Posted on: 5/13/07 4:37 PM ET
actually i don't hear much favorable about any of the chews...pig ears, nylon bones, raw-hide and the like. i would like to know if there's a bone that is safe for dogs. maybe this should be a separate topic. the greenies were making my doxie PHAT and i think it upset his tum as well. no more greenies here our dogs don't need an expensive habit that also makes em sick 1/3 of the time!
Posted on: 5/13/07 10:37 PM ET
Greenies have the reputation for not digesting well, with bad consequences for some dogs. I don't feed them to my dogs for that reason. I give them the strongest nylabones I can find because they are all chewers, and because those are the safest chews I can find for them (doesn't mean they can't break off a chunk and swallow it though.... but I could worry myself to death on this sort of thing). I don't give them bones because of the splintering issue.
Definitely check the ingredients on your dog food. Corn is just a cheap filler and if the wrong fungus grows on it it can be bad news; meat by-products mean feathers, beaks, and other stuff that isn't of nutritive value; avoid wheat gluten (as wittnessed by the lastest toxicity scare). There are good dog foods out there - talk to your vet and check the net for ideas. Whole Dog Journal lists recommended foods annually, so that's another good source for ideas.
Glad you are taking her for a check-up - be sure and let us know how she does. This girl sounds like an absolutely marvelous dog!!
Beth
If given the choice of going into a room full of dogs or a room full of people - I'd go to the dogs every single time!
Definitely check the ingredients on your dog food. Corn is just a cheap filler and if the wrong fungus grows on it it can be bad news; meat by-products mean feathers, beaks, and other stuff that isn't of nutritive value; avoid wheat gluten (as wittnessed by the lastest toxicity scare). There are good dog foods out there - talk to your vet and check the net for ideas. Whole Dog Journal lists recommended foods annually, so that's another good source for ideas.
Glad you are taking her for a check-up - be sure and let us know how she does. This girl sounds like an absolutely marvelous dog!!
Beth
If given the choice of going into a room full of dogs or a room full of people - I'd go to the dogs every single time!
Posted on: 5/13/07 11:00 PM ET
In reply to DoggyGirl
Quote: Beth Ellis
Greenies have the reputation for not digesting well, with bad consequences for some dogs. I don't feed them to my dogs for that reason. I give them the strongest nylabones I can find because they are all chewers, and because those are the safest chews I can find for them (doesn't mean they can't break off a chunk and swallow it though.... but I could worry myself to death on this sort of thing). I don't give them bones because of the splintering issue.
Greenies have the reputation for not digesting well, with bad consequences for some dogs. I don't feed them to my dogs for that reason. I give them the strongest nylabones I can find because they are all chewers, and because those are the safest chews I can find for them (doesn't mean they can't break off a chunk and swallow it though.... but I could worry myself to death on this sort of thing). I don't give them bones because of the splintering issue.
I have not done the research myself (the husbandperson has, though) but bones ARE safe to give dogs as long as they are RAW - not cooked. Cooking them is what causes the splintering problem. If you think about it, raw meat and bones is what they'd eat in the wild, so they're certainly built for it. Sometimes for treats we give our mutt whatever cheap bones we can find at the grocery store, and let him chew the meat off in a non-carpeted room.
He'll then chew on the bones for days, and yes, swallow them when they get small. This freaked me out the first time it happened but it's been perfectly fine. As a wonderful side-effect, having something that he really likes to chew on has meant that even during the hyper-chewing puppy stage, he almost never chewed anything he wasn't supposed to (I forgave him chewing my wallet - it was leather, after all).If anyone is interested in reading up on dog food, here's a great website to check out - www.dogfoodanalysis.com. A lot of the common stuff - even brands touted by vets - aren't always the best for their needs. I know Debbie Cook has mentioned that she feeds her dogs a raw diet so she knows exactly what they're eating. We're a little too lazy for that, but we do get the close-to-top-of-the-line commercial food (not the budget breaking stuff though) for our guy. Heck, he probably eats better than we do.

Anyway, sorry to not exactly be on topic, but since dog food came up, I just thought I'd offer up that site in case anyone is interested. Hope everything goes ok tomorrow at the vet's with your son's dog, sewfrequent!
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... but what do I know?
Posted on: 5/13/07 11:48 PM ET
In reply to leigh7911
Quote:
I know Debbie Cook has mentioned that she feeds her dogs a raw diet so she knows exactly what they're eating. We're a little too lazy for that,
I know Debbie Cook has mentioned that she feeds her dogs a raw diet so she knows exactly what they're eating. We're a little too lazy for that,
Actually, a combination of raw and cooked because they just prefer some things cooked (liver & pork and sometimes chicken but they will eat that raw too). As for extra work, it really isn't much at all. After shopping, I break up the meats into single serving Glad containers and pop them in the freezer. I take two out every morning and then into their dishes at dinner time. Cooking the few things that get cooked means a minute in the microwave so it's really only 3/4 cooked. And 3-4 times/week, before setting the dish down, I add supplements. I'm not a nut about supplements, though, because I think they get all they need from their varied diet.
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"I base my fashion sense on what doesn't itch." — Gilda Radner
http://stitchesandseams.blogspot.com
"I base my fashion sense on what doesn't itch." — Gilda Radner
http://stitchesandseams.blogspot.com
Posted on: 5/14/07 2:01 AM ET
My retriever mix can't stomach any hoofs, pig's feet, greenies etc. Try switching to an indestructible Nylabone. They all love them and they last a long time.
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