# Bowel Issues



## Katie Finlay (Jan 31, 2010)

I need another thinking brain. I have been feeding Danni a purely homemade raw diet +/- THK at meals. As training treats she gets Natural Balance food rolls or Zuke's Mini Naturals. She's had hotdogs before and even Fancy Feast canned cat food on tracks. She's never been sick in her life. And definitely no diarrhea. Bully sticks she handles fine as well.

A couple of weeks ago I have her a little bit of bison frozen patty made by Instinct. She had terrible diarrhea so I didn't give it again. But the diarrhea continued, was almost pure mucous at one point. Did a fecal and tested negative. Treated with Amoxicillin/Flagyl for 5 days anyway. No real improvement. It's fine sometimes, but others she's seriously straining and almost liquid stool comes out.

Sent in a fecal PCR and culture and both came back negative.

I'm at a total loss. She's fine on THK alone but if I add any RMB or MM she gets bad again. I don't know what I'm doing wrong. I don't like her on THK solely because she just poops way too much. I'm thinking about trying a kibble?

I'm totally confused on what to do!


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## Brian McQuain (Oct 21, 2009)

Only bison has done this to her? Thats the only change in her food/treat intake?


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## Mario Fernandez (Jun 21, 2008)

What works for me when my dogs are constipated or have diarrhea I give them can pumpkin (not the pie filling), with plain yogurt and either mix in some ground beef or can dog food. They are usually fine in a few hours. Keep your dog hydrated.


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## Katie Finlay (Jan 31, 2010)

Only the bison. That's why I think that was coincidental. 

I tried pumpkin but not with yogurt and the other stuff. I'll try it. She had some canned dog food to give her her meds but that didn't seem to make a difference.

Thanks!


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## Brian McQuain (Oct 21, 2009)

Mario Fernandez said:


> What works for me when my dogs are constipated or have diarrhea I give them can pumpkin (not the pie filling), with plain yogurt and either mix in some ground beef or can dog food. They are usually fine in a few hours. Keep your dog hydrated.


 
This, but I usually use firm up from diggin your dog


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## Brian McQuain (Oct 21, 2009)

Was it the bison formula? Maybe something she's allergic to?


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## Katie Finlay (Jan 31, 2010)

Yeah the bison formula. I'll have to look in the ingredients and see if there's anything that's not in THK. But it's been two weeks now, why would she still be having issues off and on?


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## Anne Jones (Mar 27, 2006)

Isn't there a recall or something in question on the Natural Balance rolls recently?


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Anne Jones said:


> Isn't there a recall or something in question on the Natural Balance rolls recently?


Yes.


http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-recall/natural-balance-dog-food-recall-2/


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## James Downey (Oct 27, 2008)

Anne Jones said:


> Isn't there a recall or something in question on the Natural Balance rolls recently?


No it was just Natural balance kibble.


To the OP: have you given her GI tract a day off. The first step in controlling diarhea is stop feeding at least for 24 hours. The body is trying to expel something and you have to give em a chance to expel everything.


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## Anne Jones (Mar 27, 2006)

Hit save by mistake...here is the rest of my post.


You need a yougert that has a good supply(as many as possible) of probiotics to replace those lost in her gut.

Also fasting her for a day might help give her GI tract a break, but make sure she has plenty of water to keep her hydrated.

I have also used this formula below when needed. (Or some mooshy overcooked watery white rice with a teaspoon of cooked turkey or chicken (1/4 in all) for several days.)

Feed 3 meals a day
1/8 Cup Oatmeal
Pro-Biotic 
2 TBL Spoon Kayopectate
2 Teaspoon cooked meat (turkey/chicken)

Feed for a day or so until stool starts to form. Continue to feed 3x day & begin to add more cooked meat. When stool stays formed then can switch to raw meat. Then add organ meat & lastly add bones. It should take 3- 5 days or so to get back to normal feeding.

Feeding THK for a while until her gut gets a chance to heal might also be the answer.

Good luck.

ETA....I feed raw & don't feed grains...but will make this exception if I need to for this purpose.


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## Katie Finlay (Jan 31, 2010)

Thanks all. I thought it was just the kibble that had been recalled but I'll check into the rolls. I have fasted her twice since this has started. She gets plenty of water. Still working great and eats and drinks fine. Seems totally happy. 

Anne, I'll try your recipe. Thanks all!


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

James Downey said:


> No it was just Natural balance kibble.



Oh, you're right.  They are all kibbles.


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## Katie Finlay (Jan 31, 2010)

That's what I thought. I remember looking into it when the recalls started coming out. According to that link, CA isn't even an affected state.

The plan right now is to feed THK with a small amount of muscle meat, with THK Perfect Form and I'm thinking about getting Diatomaceous Earth for any sort of intestinal parasites that didn't come up on the fecal results (false negatives are not unheard of). 

If the diet doesn't help with the occasional loose stool then I'll probably do Anne's recipe.


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