49 replies to this topic

[BetsyNoodle]

So sorry your little Cairn, Dusty, is having such difficulty. Our Lab, Gracie, used to have a lot of stomach issues: vomiting, constipation/diarrhea...gagging...grass eating...it was awful. Our regular vets could not get to the bottom of it so we finally took her to a board certified veterinary gastroenterologist. She did blood tests, an abdominal X-ray, and an ultrasound. Although Gracie had no sign of worms, she gave her a good general wormer to start, and an antibiotic. She also prescribed Pepcid and Reglan. Gracie did really well on this regimen, and we were eventually able to discontinue the meds. I feed Gracie Wellness brand kibble with a small amount of soft Wellness, and I occasionally add cooked a few green beans and carrots.

One last thing, the "sticky" poop may be a sign that Dusty is dehydrated. So, it is really important to make sure that his water intake is good, especially if he is vomiting and/or has diarrhea or even soft stool.

By the way, what did the recent ultrasound show? Did your current vet do his previous abdominal surgery?

[fannierose]

hi...

thanks so much for your response...

my vet has mentioned a dewormer....
hasn't done it yet...

she did not do his abdominal surgery..which
was in october..
but she has all his records from the
lst vet.......i started
to talk w/her while dusty was having his
surgery......she was my son's vet and
was much more pleasant and informative than
the one doing the surgery...she did concur
with everything the surgery vet was doing...

she took an xray of dusty about a week after
the surgery when he was there for one of
his *eating everything give me cerenia*
episodes...those are really the worse....
he is so pathetic to watch..i literally cry
for him...

thanks for the heads up on the water thing...
he never was a big drinker...but i add some
water to his rice and chicken at meal times
and his pee isn't as concentrated as it once
was...

so happy to hear that your gracie is doing
well...

still waiting on the vet with the new
elimination diet....hopefully..i will hear
from her soon...

again...many thanks...warmly......susan

[BetsyNoodle]

So glad to hear you are happy with your vet. Once again, I totally empathize and so hope you and Dusty can get some relief! I wish your vet would consider the Reglan as I think the combination of that and Famotidine helped Gracie the most. Reglan helps with peristalsis and keeps things moving. It was as if her intestines "re-learned" how to work after being on it awhile. That being said, without knowing what is going on in Dusty's intestines makes it difficult to know what will work, and there is a contraindication to Reglan. If your vet thinks your dog may have Cushing's and may have a pheochromocytoma (small tumor on the Adrenal gland), she would not want to give Reglan. If a dog with a pheochromocytoma is given Reglan it can raise the blood pressure significantly. But, "pheos" are very rare.

I don't know why your vet is waiting to de-worm him. Gracie's gastroenterologist says you do not always see worms in the feces, and de-wormers are safe to give. Will keep Dusty in my prayers. I know this must be so hard on him...and you. Good luck with the elimination diet. I went through one with Gracie, as well.

Best wishes,

~Melissa

Edited by BetsyNoodle, 25 March 2010 - 08:32 PM.

[fannierose]

hi melissa...

thanks again for your response
and caring...

i asked the vet why NO on the
reglan..and...she said a bunch
of big words when she was giving
me her reply...but then said...
let's see how things go....and..
maybe we will at some point...

all his bloodwork came out good
about a month ago when he had
his shots...i also wondered if
the rabies and lyme shots could have
triggered something...but then it did
seem like the I/D...as he vomitted
only when i gave him that...and then
would be fine and able to eat the
chicken and rice...

only thing w/the chix/rice only diet..
is his poops are then erratic and
inconsistent...but...like all of life..
it is what it is, right?

will keep you posted...and, thanks
again
for all your support...

warmly.......susan

[BeeBladen]

Worms may be part of the problem. Like BetsyNoodle suggested, deworming wouldn't hurt him. They can cause all kinds of problems internally, especially if untreated. After the elimination diet I would suggest switching his food to grain free. (which I'm sure you will now) Cairns are picky and their tummies are ultra-sensitive. Gretsch is on Taste of the Wild, which has good proteins and no grains. His stools have been good and steady. At least one or two a day at 8 months. Keep up the water too, that always helps with bodily functions! : ) Keep us updated on Dusty, hope his tum feels better!!

[fannierose]

thanks.....for
all the good advice..
posts...etc...

will keep you all
updated...

so good to know it isn't
only dusty w/the sensitive
tummy!

warmly........susan

[fannierose]

after almost 2 weeks of
just chicken and rice homemade
...dusty again vomitted a little
bit ago...

biliary?? just foamy yellow...
about 4 1/2 hours after breakfast...

i called and left message at vet's..
hope she returns the call...

good thing...after a few minutes...
he perked up and was acting himself...
gave him a little rice....keeping my
fingers crossed...

this is very aggravating...i so hope
the vet gives him something so he
can eat and be happy ...and..then if more
tests needed...so be it...

i just want my little one to be well
and happy...

thanks for listening...

warmly.........susan

[fannierose]

well...here i am ...many months later...
and dusty is still having digestive troubles...

today he went for a walk w/dh
and he *thinks* he ate a little something...
was fine when he came back but then
he vomitted a little bit of food
with a leaf and brownish fluid that
smelled like poop.....ewwww..
tried really hard to get to the back
door but we didn't notice in time
to get him outside...

he vomitted a bit more and it wasn't
as dark or offensive...then he had
a soft bm which ended in diarrhea...

a call to our vet even though sunday...
and she had me check his stomach
and gums and all seemed in order....

gave him a cerenia....no food for several
hours....he had a little dinner/homecooked
as always.....and as of right now....he
has been holding it down and in...

in the time between when i last posted
and now....he has had giardia and was put
on flagyl...which he still continues as
without it ...he has diarrhea...

i feel so sorry for him and it is so
upsetting for me...i am in a constant
state of panic wondering when he will
get upset again next....

this past month...it has been more frequent
vomitting...today was the lst diarrhea in a
while since the flagyl maintenance....

along with all this...our poor little guy
is very high strung....doesn't know how
to play with toys...he plays for a moment
and then guards it and gets very tense...
he can't eat anything aside from his
home cooked chicken/rice/canola oil...
he seems happy most of the time but
geez...i wonder what is up w/our little
dustbomb!!

as i have said in the past...he was
almost
5 when we rescued him from the pound..
and had acid reflux and vomitting almost
from the get go...

any input ..again...would sure be
appreciated...

warmly.......susan

[Nena]

So sorry to ready all your little ones problems. What a worry for you all. Agree with all the above advise. My had worms from eating all the rabbit poop and squirrel poop whenever she can find it. I now that can cause problems, she is on heartgard but they can still get other kinds so I have her checked twice a year.
I also feed grainless diet but I add enzymes to help with the digestions. I don't know if this will help but I sprinkle "missing link wellness blend" one teaspoon a day on food help with digestion, coat and has probiotics and vitamins. We have used it for over 2 years with great results. Sometimes they just aren't digesting the food they eat enough and that will help. We use to give it to our older collie and it also helped him.
I sure hope all is well soon for Dusty.

[pkcrossley]

i'm wondering if dusty's intestinal problems and his temperament issues are related. either way --if he is constantly uncomfortable in the tummy, it could make him grumpy, impatient, and suspicious; if he is by temperament high-strung and nervous, it could speed up his metabolism and run his food through his digestive tract prematurely. i would work on "both ends" of the problem at once, and be optimistic that these are not two unrelated problems --in other words, make progress with one, make progress with the other.

cairns eating stuff they are not supposed to is a cairn problem, you can limit the dangers but probably not get rid of this entirely. you will have to work on yourself a bit to accept that once in a while, despite your best efforts, this guy is going ingest things that are not wise for him. they are scavengers and, bless them, natural-born thieves. you can keep things out of the way and keep a hawk eye on dusty when he is out, and you can minimize the dangers (which are real), but the most important is to know, as you do, what to do when something goes wrong. so you are on top of that, relax about that. remember that dusty picks up on your reactions --if he senses you are panicky and upset, he will feel that way too, which cannot help his problems. when you relax, i bet you will see dusty relax a bit too.

i would continue to seek the answers to his intestinal problems, remembering that there is a lot of individual variation here, in dogs as in people. some people have sensitive stomachs and colons, and they will have to learn management in order to make themselves comfortable, without looking to be "cured." as i say above, i would also consider whether it is possible that dusty's nervousness (and irritability?), whatever their origins, may also be contributing to that problem.

as for his temperament and mood, you may find that when he is feeling better in the tummy he will be more relaxed. but i would do what you can to relax him anyway. a cairn who starts guarding toys or food can start a bad cycle with his humans, in which they give in to him and leave him alone in order to avoid problems. teaches the dog to use grumpiness as a means of control over his world, and also reduces his socialization, making the problems worse. do your best to keep dusty physically close. even if he seems to not like it, very gently cajole him to do what you want --sit and wait for a meal, surrender a toy or treat, or let you touch and pet him. most dogs will grudgingly accept gentle persistence and relax. if not, there are still plenty of techniques to get through to him. above all do not let him intimidate you. it sounds like you a lot of lifting and carrying of dusty and if that is true then he will be an easy case. but if he ever intimidates you, work on yourself to make sure that you can maintain your confidence around him. nothing makes things go south with a cairn faster than letting him suspect that he can intimidate you.

i think your dusty knows that you are doing everything to help him, and i think you will definitely make progress. look after his psychology as well as his diet, and you may find things coming together. you are doing this little guy good every day, and eventually the answers will come.

Edited by pkcrossley, 20 December 2010 - 08:47 AM.

[cairnrescueleague]

Has Dusty been seen by a veterinary gastroenterologist?

[Rileymom27]

Hi! I felt like I had to add my "two cents worth" as I have been down this road with my little Cairn. Riley unfortunately was born with only one viable kidney and several liver shunts. He had two major shunts ligated. After receiving his vaccinations prior to dental surgery this fall, he went into total renal failure and I almost lost him. The bile regurgitation was a daily thing - - sometimes all day long.- - and the loose stool. At my wits end - -I turned to a holistic vet and he pulled him through. I was thoroughly admonished for exposing him to the vaccines which ultimately almost ended his life. My Cairn had a severe reaction to them. I am not saying that your dog is experiencing the same thing but it may be a factor. Riley is now on kidney supplements (not medicine but all natural) and is doing amazingly well. He still has some bouts of vomiting bile but it is down to once or twice a month. I cook for him and he has gained some weight back after refusing food for a period of time. You can use rice, millet, couscous, oatmeal, quinoa and any lean proteins (chicken, turkey, lean ground beef and fish) mixed with a variety of vegetables to feed him. My dog loves his food! Again - - not saying the vaccines caused this --just giving you another perspective. Good luck - I wish you well!!

[Terrier lover]

I so agree with you Riley's mum. Our vet says the worst thing you can do to an animal that has compromised health issues is to add insult to injury by vaccinating. Our Scottie had IBD (inflammatory bowel disease) and the only way she made it to a ripe old age of 12 (but in the end died of cancer) was to control the vomiting and diahrea by using holistic supplements given to us by our vet, plus home cooking. Just my two cents also

[fannierose]

thanks everyone for your
input and concern for dusty
and me :-)

..

i have always thought perhaps
there was a connection between
his mannerisms and his gut...
i too have ibs so i understand
that connection completely...

i have printed out all your replies...
am going to read them again and
then discuss w/my vet who is very
opened to anything i learn...

i had read here ..i believe..how
corn is offensive to cairns and other
pups....i told her ...she then suggested
the home cooking which i have done for over
a year now....i am starting to wonder if
maybe the chicken/rice/canola oil are not
agreeing w/him ...

keep the thoughts coming if you have
any and please know how thankful i am
for all of you and your input...

warmly.......susan

[fannierose]

hi rileymom27...

are you talking about *all*
vaccines? i guess i am
a little ignorant in that
department...when you have
a moment...would you be kind
enough to fill me in?

many thanks...

warmly.......susan