Domino update...

[cairistiona]

For the first time in over a week, we have SOLID POOPS!

Yay!

I wish I could keep him on the rx dogfood full time, but I don't think I can. But boy, does he love it and boy does it agree with him. It's a Science Diet canned food, so I'm going to see if their non-rx "sensitive tummy" food might work just as well. *fingers crossed* I've also bought some dehydrated pumpkin to sprinkle on his food, as pumpkin is highly recommended as a food to "firm things up." I tried canned pumpkin once ages ago, but he wanted nothing to do with it (oh the disappointed look he gave me!) But I think I can hide the dehydrated version in his normal food and he won't realize he's eating it.

I'll just have to watch I don't firm things up TOO much and give him problems of the opposite sort!

https://instagram.com/p/BmCr468HwD8

(Ugh, LJ doesn't let me post just the image from IG anymore, so you have to put up with the rest of the IG stuff, even though "Good night" doesn't really apply to this post!)

Comments

[nefhiriel.livejournal.com]

Halleluja! I understand what a joyous thing it is to have a dog's digestion working properly. :D

[cairistiona7.livejournal.com]

It is!

I had to giggle at hubby's reply when I texted him: "The things we celebrate XDDD"

hee hee. It's the little things. Sometimes the little stinky things, but the little things.

[epiphyta]

How well I remember the "Yay, poop!" conversations here when our three were around. :) Hooray for Domino!

[cairistiona7.livejournal.com]

Good poop should never be taken for granted. *g*

[mrowe.livejournal.com]

Yay!

[cairistiona7.livejournal.com]

Yep!

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

Good news indeed. What a lovely picture, too.

Must remember that about pumpkin!

[cairistiona7.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I took that one nigh when Domino decided he wanted to sleep in MY spot. Silly dog.

I hope Willow never needs pumpkin, but it might be worth a shot if she ever does.

[shirebound]

Hooray!!!

[cairistiona7.livejournal.com]

*happy dances*

[imbecamiel.livejournal.com]

Glad the poor pup's finally doing better! And awww, what an absolutely darling picture.

I bet the Science Diet stuff is exactly the same food we had Captain on for a while after he poisoned himself eating Bad Plants a while back. He thought it was the best treat ever, getting to spend a whole day at the vet and THEN getting that stuff for a while afterward. XD In our case, we weaned him back off it as soon as we reasonably could both because of the cost and to avoid giving him snobbish tastes, when he's usually so good about food - we had an awful time with food pickiness with Strider after his surgeries as a puppy. (Shame it'd be so expensive to ship to you, because we've still got a few of Captain's cans around that are probably still good...)

[cairistiona7.livejournal.com]

I definitely worry a bit about Domino getting snobbish tastes after a week on this stuff, but hopefully he'll adjust okay when I try something else. *fingers crossed*

But, hmm, maybe if someday I can make it up there for a visit, I'll take it off your hands. *g*

[layne67.livejournal.com]

Awww, beyond adorable!!

Can dogs eat banana? Bananas may help to solidify watery stools in humans.

[cairistiona7.livejournal.com]

He has his adorable moments. *g*

Dogs can indeed eat bananas (Domino hates them, though), and they're good for firming up stools. If your dog will eat them. *side eyes Domino*

[ysilme]

I'm so glad to hear Domino is better! His problems reminded me so much of some of Skrållan's digestion issues. Hers were caused basically by allergies, but even when avoiding everything she was allergic to she often reacted with digestion troubles of this kind. Our young ones also have digestion problems on occasion, still an after-effect of the giardia and giardia treatmet, although it's getting better all the time.
I worked a lot with probiotic powder (a special one without lactose, rice powder or any other additives; the downside is that it needs to stay in the fridge and doesn't keep very long, but not having any of the additives makes such a difference), Skrållan sometimes got it for months on end.
For Skrållan, I also worked frequently with Slippery Elm Bark powder, which literally worked wonders all the time. Back when we got her this wasn't available in Germany and I had to get it from the U.S. where I believe it's much easier available, but thankfully the stuff keeps endlessly and I still have perfectly fine powder from the first time I ordered! (I ordered a pound back then *g* ). I don't know if you've heard of it, but I thought of it when I read about Domino's troubles, and it might be worth investigating.
The powder is the dried inner bark of the Slippery Elm, and to use it you mix one tablespoon with eight tablespoons of water, bring it to a boil while stirring it so it stays smooth, and let it cool off. It produces a thickly, neutral slime/goo that is soothing the intestines and also provides some minerals. It To my knowledge it's being used for all kind of digestion- and stomach related issues and illnesses also for humans (among others for soothing purposes for chemo patients who can't keep anything down) but also frequently for pets. No allergies against it are known, pets usually eat it without problems, some even like it - Skrållan liked it up like this when she was nauseous, and it was also the only thing she would sometimes eat - and it can easily be mixed with food. One positive effect is that it might improve too liquid stools and heal digestion issues quicker because the inflamed tissues are helped by the soothing slime of the stuff. It can also be given alongside any other medication and is not preventing any of their effect, although it's recommended to not give it together with medication just to be on the safe side.

Wikipedia says:
"Ulmus rubra has various traditional medicinal uses. The mucilaginous inner bark of the tree has long been used as a demulcent, and is still produced commercially for this purpose in the United States with approval for sale as an over-the-counter demulcent by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.[26] Sometimes leaves are dried and ground into a powder, then made into a tea. "

Perhaps your vet knows about it, or you would like to try just so. It's inexpensive, the powder keeps endlessly (I keep it in a drawer in a mason jar), it's prepared in five minutes if you need it, and the rest keeps in the fridge for two to three days (I gave Skrållan about a teaspoon per meal, or two teaspoons per day, although she could have more if she liked; as it's not "thickening" stool or so it's not having adverse effects). We humans have taken it on occasion for an upset tummy as well, and found it helpful.

[cairistiona7.livejournal.com]

I didn't realize slippery elm was safe for dogs... I'll put it on the "if new grain-free food and pumpkin supplement doesn't work" list. Right now, he's finally done with antibiotics, and this morning's poo was nice and firm. Hopefully the new diet regimen will work, but it's good to have another thing to try. Slippery elm is easy to find here and I can order responsibly-sourced powder online (Dutch Elm Disease has wiped out a lot of elm trees in North America, so over-harvesting the remaining elm varieties is a concern).

[ysilme]

Yay for the nice poops! *\O/* (From the things only pet owners can really relate to *ggg* (although parents probably too? ) )
Good to know you can so easily get responsibly-sourced powder. Mine also was from such a source, as I knew about the over-harvesting issue, which is why I'm also happy the stuff keeps so long and I can still use up my stock; it'll likely last as long as I'm able to cook diet for cats if necessary! *g*