sickness 8month old pitbull

Question
I have a 8 month old pit bull who has been throwing up and having diarrhea for 3 days now. She seems to act okay ( alittle slow), The consistency coming out both ends is very yellow and has a sick smell to it.  What can I do?
Take her to the vet or treat at home? If treat at home, with what? Does she gatorade to help pick her system back up?  
Laura Dennis  

Answer
Hi Laura!As for the diarrhea,here is what you can do.

Quit putting stuff in your pet,and stuff will stop coming out.Vets recommend not feeding your pet for 24 hours after the onset of diarrhea.if she's still not better after a day of no food,there could be something seriously wrong,and you should call you vet.

When your pet is ready to eat again,keep her digestive system calm by giving her cooked white rice mixed with boiled hamburger or skinless white meat chicken.Vets recommend mixing two parts rice to one part meat and feeding your pet small amounts every four hours for two days.

After two days you can begin switching your pet to her regular diet.Rather than changing food all at once,which could thrust her insides back into overdrive,try substituting the bland diet for about a fourth of her regular food once a day for four days.

If your pet's stools are still a little sift-either after or during the bland diet phase-try adding a little Metamucil to her food.Fiber helps draw water out of the stool,and its fermenting action in the colon will help bring things back to normal.Depending on you pet's size,vets recommend giving between 1 1/4 teaspoons and 1 tablespoon of Metamucil a day  for one or two days.Just mix it with water and pour it on her food.I know it sounds strange to fight diarrhea with fiber,but sometimes it works very well.

Since diarrhea can rapidly deplete the body of essential fluids,be sure to keep her wtare bowl full.It's also a good idea to fill a separate bowl with Gatorade.Like other sprots drinks,Gateorade will help replenish minerals the body needs,like potassium and sodium.The original flavor was good,but dogs and cats seem to like the fruit punch flavor better.

Most adult dogs and cats have difficulty digesting milk because they lack the enzyme (lactase) needed to digest sugar (lactose) in milk.If your giving your pet milk and she has diarrhea,cut the milk and you should see some real improvement in a few days.

Taking a 15-minute walk twice a day will help stimulate a part of the mervous system that is responsible for keeping the gut calm.It can have a very good affect on diarrhea.It's important,however,to walk your pet only if she seems to ahve the energy for it.If she lags or is shaky or doesn't even want to get up,let her be.

Visiting the vet,moving or having a new pet at home are just a  few of the things that can upset your pet.To prevent emotional upheavals from getting the upper hand,talking to her gently,reassure her and spend extra time wiht her.

While there are a number of over-the-counter medications that can help ease the runs,many vets feel it's best to let the illness run its course.There's a reason your ept has diarrhea.Forget about rushing for anything that will keep the stool in unless your vet thinks it's a good idea.

As for the body odor,here is what you can do.

When being aroung your dog is making your nose wrinkle,what he probably needs is a good washing.Get him in the tub and douse him well with lukewarm water.Then work up a good lather with a pet shampoo.Start around the face and nose,then work down the entire body.Rinse him well,then repeat.Except for a little wet-dog smell when he gets out of the tub,his aroma should be much improved.

For pets with particularly oily coat,you may want to skip the mild shampoo and go straight to a tar-based product.Shampoos with tar are available  at pet stores and will quickly clean the dirtiest coat.

While some washing is good,too mich can cause  the oil glands to boost their output making the coat even more oily.The more you wash,the sooner your dog is going to need another bath.In most cases,bathing your pet once a month is plenty,although you can certainly make exceptions if your intrepid canine frequently goes where hes shouldn't-like into mud puddles,swamps or other odoriferous wallows.

Regular brushing helps remove gunk that gets in the fur and causes odors.In addition,brushing helps remove excess oils from the skin and haior befrore they ripen.Long-haired
pets should be brushed daily,while those with shorter hair can get by with once-a-week sessions.

Ear infections are a common cauyse of bad odors.While ear infections require a veterinarian's care,you can help prevent them by washing yuor dog's ears.Pooches prone to problems may need to have their ears scrubbed as often ad once a week.Vets recommend mixing one part white vinegar with two oarts water,then gently flushing the ear with a bulb syringe.Rub the ear gently to distribute the liquid,then wipe with a cotton ball.

Dogs occasionally get a piece of bone,wood or some other object wedged in the mouth,and it will eventually start smelling like garabage.Take a good look inside your dog's mouth.If something's wedged in there and it doesn't come out with  gentle pressure,ask yuor vet for help.

Dogs don't brush their teeth,and when they lick themselves,a lifetime accumulation of morning breath can give them an unpleasant smell.Vets recommend buying a pt toothbrush and giving your dog's choppers a good brushing at least twice a week.Or you can wrap gauze or a washcloth around one finger to clean her teeth.Just be sure not to use human toothpaste for pets.Dogs can't spit,and the foam from human pastes,when they swallow it,can upset their stomachs,Always use a pet toothpaste,vets advise.

If your dog won't hold still for a good brushing,you can still inprove her breath-and her body odor-by spritzing in a little breath freshener.To make your own,dilute a capful of mouthwash in a cup of water and pour it into a spray bottle.Then give your dog a little spritz the next time her "dog breath" is getting out of control.

As for the vomiting,here is what you can do.

When your pet is vomiting,his stomach needs a time-out.Don't let him have any food for 24 hours.A short fast may be all it takes to get his stomach back to normal.If he's still vomiting after 24 hours,call your veterinarian..

Once the worst of the vomiting is ove,encourage your pet to wet her whistle during her fast.The last thing you want is dehydration.

If water makes him queasy,give him ice cubes instead.He'll lick the water off more slowly,and it usually stays down better than when she drinks.Besides that,pets like playing with the ice cubes.It's a real source of entertainment.Vets recommend putting a ice cube in your pets bowl or on a part of the floor you don't mind getting wet.To make aure the water stays down,don't give her more than one cube every 15 minutes.

To prevent your pet from drinking too much,keep the toilet lid down.Otherwise your animal could have a double treat-an unlimited supply of water he shouldn't have and water that's chock-full of bacteria that aren't going to help the situation.

After fasting for 24 hours,your pet may be ravenous for food.Start with a bland diet to gently work his system into digesting,or else you could end up ack at square one.Vets recommend mixing two parts cooked white rice with one part cottage cheese or boiled skinless white chicken.At first,feed him small amounts about every four hours.After a day,if he's still holding the bland food down,you can begin feeding her usual amount.

After two days on the bland diet,you can start reintroducing his usual fare.Vets recommend replacing about one-fourth of the bland food with his regular food every day for four days until he's back to normal.

Even after the vomiting stops,your pet may not be feeling up to par.Kaopectate will help soothe her stomach.It's chalky and not exactly delicious,but it works.Give one teaspoon of Kaeopectate for each ten punds of weight.Since dosages vary widely from pet to pet,however,be sure to ask your vet for advice.

         FOR DOGS ONLY
Giving your pet Pepto-Bismol will help soothe his tummy just as it does yours.Vets recommend giving about one teaspoon for every 20 pounds of dog every four to six hours for up to two days.Dogs don't like it much,though,so din't be surprised if more ends up on you than in your dog.A neater solution is to use an oral syringe,which is available at pharmacies.Never give Pepto-Bismol to cats without a veterinarian's supervision.It contains ingredients cats don't metabolize well,so it can make them sicker.

Be sure not to useANY of this information for cats becasue it could make them sick.Be sure to ask your vet if this is OK.You can print this or send it to his office.I hope this is helpful!Please keep me posted and good luck!Nicole.D.