canine diarrhea

Question
Hello,
I have a 3 year old Weimaraner that is experiencing diarrhea.  I have noticed that this has been going on for about 3 days and I am starting to get worried, especially since it is very cold out and he doesn't drink very much water during the winter.  Everything else is pretty much normal.  There is no blood in it.  His appetite is pretty normal, but maybe a little less than usual.  He isn't running a fever, he has his normal energy, etc.  I feed him a Purina dry dog food.  Normally, I give him a small amount of table scraps as a treat, but I have cut this out since the diarrhea began.  Also, I give him 1 Old Roy peanut butter flavored dog biscuits a day, again as a treat and to help clean his teeth.
I don't think there is anything seriously wrong with him, but I am afraid of dehydration and loss of nutrients.  If possible, could you please also give me some tips about how to get him to drink extra water to offset the water loss from the diarrhea?
thanks I really appreciate your help,
Jeff Helzer

Answer
Jeff,
I will offer you some advice to help clear up the problem, but I want you to understand that the problem may be related to a serious medical condition and if you don't see some improvement with in a few days of trying, what I suggest than, I strongly urge you to have him seen by his regular veterinarian.
First, withhold any food for the next 24 hours and allow his system to clear out any toxins or bad bacteria's that could be causing the problem. Allow him only water and after 24 hours start to offer food again. Start to offer what is considered a bland diet; boiled chicken, or hamburger, and brown rice. Continue to provide him with the bland diet for several days, and gradually increase the amounts you offer.
It is at this point you should start to see some improvement, and his stools start to become more formed and firm. If you do not see any improvement, or he starts to exhibit additional symptoms such as lethargy, vomiting, or blood in his stools, than he needs to be seen by your veterinarian.
I also want to address his diet, as most pet owners are not aware of the ingredients being used in the commercial foods that they choose to feed their pets. Look to the main ingredients in the food you are feeding, and know that by-products consist of not only indigestible items such as; feathers, hair, hooves, fecal matter, and diseased meats, deemed inconsumable for human consumption and are usually what is scraped off the floors of slaughter houses. Listed fillers are items such as hair, peanut hulls, and even newspaper. Not only are most of these foods indigestible, but they provide inadequate nutrients.
Most likely your Weimarner is lacking the majority of the nutrients his body needs to function on a daily basis. This can not only leave him immune system weak and vulnerable, (hence the diarrhea), but can lead to most of the diseases that are pets come to be plagued by.
I will offer a few food alternatives to the current food you are feeding, and can promise you will see a complete change not only in his appearance, and behavior, but in his overall wellbeing. The foods I have come to recommend are the result of years of research on nutrition, and its relation to canine and feline diseases. Before I started my research I was also completely unaware of the direct relation. I came to realize that several of the breeds of dogs I own, (Mastiffs), where all developed in Europe and it made complete sense, that they evolved eating food ingredients indigenous to that region.
Before hand my dogs my dogs suffered many ailments from allergies to the occasional onset of unexplained diarrhea. Once I started to provide them with foods based on lamb, chicken, and barley, and oatmeal, they did complete 180 turn around, and what seemed like overnight, all the existing conditions they where displaying previously disappeared. Most commercial dog foods on the market here in America contain beef parts, and corn fillers. Knowing that Weimaraners are also European breeds and have a tendency to skin problems and conditions; I recommend you change his food to one of the following; Innova, (California Natural), Solid Gold , (Hund-n-flocken),,Natural life, (Lambaderm), or Natures Recipe (Adult lamb and rice, or their breed specific created food for sporting breeds of dogs). Most of these food can be found at large pet supply stores and although they are more costly, he will come to eat less, (since he will be filled with nutritional foods rather than indigestible fillers), and you will need to buy less. Your dog food bill will be actually less.
Finally, I recommend you add an over the counter supplement called, "The Missing Link" to his diet. It is also available at most large pet supply stores. It has not only all the proper levels of nutrients, vitamins and minerals our dogs need, but also high levels of omega fatty acids that will ward off any skin problems, excessive shedding, and allergies.
I invite you to research these findings; there is much written informative information, in addtion to a lot of information on the internet.
I try and inform as many of my clients and questioners of these facts as possible, and have had nothing but positive feed back. I hope this comes to offer you some insight as well, and that you will not need to find solutions for the possibility of such reoccurring conditions as the diarrhea he is exhibiting now. Please feel free to get back to me for more information, or with any additional questions or concerns.
                                                                                        All the best,
                                    Jodi