DIHARRIA

Question
I HAVE A 5 YEAR OLD COCKER SPANIAL.HE RECENTLY STARTED VOMITING AND THEN SHORTLY AFTER ENDED UP WITH THE DIARRHEA. IT HAS BEEN ABOUT 2 WEEKS AND HE IS STILL HAVING DIARRHEA. I HAVE PUT HIM ON WHITE RICE WATER FOR 24 HRS. I AM STILL TO WEEKS LATER GIVING HIM RICE WITH VERY LITTLE FOOD MIXED INTO IT...ITS JUST FOR TASTE. HE STILL HAS THE DIARRHEA..NOT AS BAD; BUT IT IS STILL THERE. I HAVE BEEN FEEDING HIM IAMS SMALL CHUCKS FOR A GOOD FIVE YEARS. CAN HIS FOOD FINALLY BE BOTHERING HIM? HARLEY DOES NOT GET ANY TABLE SCRAPS...NO HUMAN FOOD AT ALL. NEVER LIKED A DOG TO BAGG. SO WHY FOURSE THEM TO. WITH MY DAUGHTER 2 YEARS OLD..IT HELPS, JUST BECAUSE SHE IS ALWAYS CARRYING AROUND A COOKIE OR SOMETHING. WELL... ANYWAYS! JUST WONDERING IF THERE IS SOMETHING ELSE I CAN TRY BEFORE I TAKE HIM TO THE VET. I FIND THAT THE VET HERE IN OUR SMALL TOWN TAKES ADVANTAGE OF ME. WOULD YOU KNOW WHAT A VET SHOULD LOOK FOR SO THAT I KNOW WHAT SHOULD BE DONE? HARLEY HAS HAD NO OTHER PROBLEMS..JUST WHEN HE WAS LITTLE WITH HIS EARS THATS JUST BECAUSE I TOOK HIM FORM A BAD HOME AND IT TOOK A LITTLE WHILE TO GET HIM CLEANED UP. NOW FOR ABOUT 4 YEARS THERE HAS BEEN NO EAR INFECTIONS, I KEEP HIM WELL GROOMED EVERY MONTH. THE ONLY THING IS HE IS BEHIND IN HIS NEEDLES,, I JUST FOUND OUT THAT HARLEY SHOULD HAVE GONE EVERY YEAR. HIS LAST NEEDLE WAS OCT 2002. THEY DIDN'T CALL ME AFTER THAT SO I NEVER NEW ANYTHING ABOUT ANY MORE NEEDLES. CAN THIS CAUSE THIS? SHOULD I UPDATE HIS NEEDLES? IF SO...WHAT ONES SHOULD HE HAVE? I HOPE YOU CAN HELP, IF NOT THANK-YOU FOR TRYING. TRACI

Answer
I'd definitely stop the Iams and for a few days give him the following recipe:

3 scrambled eggs (use no oil)
1 cup plain white rice (use extra water & overcook)
2-3 tbsp. canned pumpkin (NOT pie filling-100% pumpkin-read label)

Mix together and dole out 3x a day.

As far as vaccinations are concerned they're now only done every 3 years and a lot of immunologists think even that's overdoing it.  And no dog should be vaccinated when they're not 100% healthy (which he isn't at the moment) so if you do end up taking him to the vet just say you want to wait on that until he's better.  Ask the vet for some Flagyl for his diarreah if you do go.

You could also try mixing one teaspoon of plain, unflavored Metamucil into 1/4 cup of water and mix into his daily supply of food (not one meal).  So if the pumpkin doesn't help - try that.

And Iams is a really awful food so when he gets over this I strongly suggest switching to a premium canned food.  And dogs should not be fed the same food "forever" anyway.  Foods I like for cockers
are:
Canidae - AvoDerm (Petsmart has it)- Eagle Pack Holistic - Wellness -
Merrick - Solid Gold.
Best of luck,
Delores