My dog, Teddy, is sick...

[Hawkeye-X]

Teddy has been sick since last Wednesday, and we had not discovered that he was ill until Sunday when he was pooping all over the house for no reason -- he normally doesn't poop in the house. My wife went apeshit on the poop. The final straw was yesterday morning that he pooped in his crate. We found out that this wasn't normal, so we took him to the vet yesterday. The doc found that Teddy has colitis, which is a stomach infection, so he's on meds and his food cut down to twice a day, with 4 ounces a day.

Can someone tell me what could have caused colitis?

If you want to -- and if you are a Howard Dean supporter -- click on the link in the sig to donate something on Teddy's behalf (there's a photo of him in that corresponding link)...

Before he was given too much freedom, and he think he is dominant, and now we have to leash him 24/7/365 so we can make sure he doesn't do anything stupid like nip at my wife.

Hawkeye-X

[corarose]

1. How old is he?

Have you changed his diet and does he have any food Allergies?

[Hawkeye-X]

3. He's a year and a half

Before we gave him canned veggies and some human food. Doc said to cut off all human food, only dog food.

He has Iams MiniChunks...

Hawkeye-X

[corarose]

7. It takes some time for his digestive track to get back on

The right track and the reaction might be from the veggies and human food because he might not be able to digest it properly.

Diarrhea is not a fun thing to have all over the house and you poor dog will come around to hard stools again.

Poor little guy.

Ask the vet for some stool hardeners like the kind humans use when they have diarrhea.

[Hawkeye-X]

9. Right now he's at my parents house

he's on antibiotics and hopefully will return to normal quickly.

We have to take him back tomorrow because my parents leave for Silver Spring for Thanksgiving holiday.

Hawkeye-X

[Gloria]

15. If he's on antibiotics, ask the vet about his intestinal bacteria....

should he be on Benebec or acidoph. caps to help his intestinal flora!! Antibiotics alone could screw him up more!

[Hawkeye-X]

22. I don't know the name of the med he's on

I'll have to check on it tomorrow when I get him back...

[theivoryqueen]

2. not a vet, but

isn't colitis any inflamation of the lower intestines? I also think there is a risk of dehydration - so keeping the pet well hydrated is a plus. I have nursed dogs back from Parvo using Haines organic chicken stock straight out of the can - administered through a turkey baster right down the hatch. It really helps.

[Kookaburra]

4. People Food?

Some people food will make dogs ill. If you feed them the skins from chickens or turkeys they can get nasty intestinal problems. Does Teddy eat people food?

[Hawkeye-X]

5. He had pasta and canned veggies (no salt)

I'm told salt is very bad for him...

Hawkeye-X

[ScreamingMeemie]

6. Is Teddy a high strung, nervous dog? I know in people, stress

can be a factor in colitis. Not sure if it holds true in dogs, but thought I'd throw it out there. Sure hope Teddy feels better soon.

Hugs, Laura

[Robb]

8. To help keep him hydrated

...there's an old musher's trick: "bait" the water, a little broth in it, or drop in a piece of cheese or meat, or even kibble.

Teddy's in our thoughts, good luck to you all. :)

[Hawkeye-X]

10. Hey Robb

You're in Colorado right -- whereabouts? Maybe my dog can meet your wolfpack... err your dogpack...

Hawkeye-X

[Robb]

13. We're on the Western Slope

...kinda out towards Telluride. PM me if you're ever on this side! :)

[ajacobson]

18. Are those your dogs?

Those Sibes are beautiful.

I've got 2 black and whites, 1 red and white, 2 wolfy and 1 really light tan. I've had a couple of them in front of a sled, the others are couch potatos.

[corarose]

11. Did they check him for Worms?

Just a thought.

[Hawkeye-X]

23. He's been dewormed in Sept

no new worms.... so he won't get wormed again until March.

[smirkymonkey]

12. Poor Teddy!!

I hope he gets well soon! What kind of dog is he? Do you have a photo so we can send him good energy?

[Hawkeye-X]

24. 'Course!

Just click on the sig.. you'll see a photo of him...

Hawkeye-X

[noonwitch]

14. My old dog had a similar illness as a young dog

She had some type of bowel infection, with similar results. In her case, I had to feed her a diet of low-fat cottage cheese, mixed with white rice, for a week, while mushing up antibiotic pills to mix in with the special diet. They probably have special food for those situations, now. She recovered quickly and lived another 11 years before dying of age-related problems.

The mess aside, it's so hard when your pets are sick. They can't tell you what's wrong, they just look at you with those sad eyes and expect you to make them all better.

[Gloria]

16. I've used that diet, too.....the trick is to only feed them very small

amounts gradually. Ideally, they should fast, food and water, for a number of hours until they no longer throw up or poop. Then introduce this food mix a tsp/tbs at a time. You do the total amount per day by the dogs weight.

It's a pain in the neck, but it works....

[Hawkeye-X]

25. That's why the vet said...

Half of what he normally eats, twice a day.. so we're feeding him in the early morning and late evening....

So his stomach gets a chance to recover.. he's a very energetic dog when he's well.. as a matter of fact, he was excited to see me this morning when I came in to work (The office is in the basement of my parents house) and he wanted to sit on my lap, so I let him...

Hawkeye-X

[ajacobson]

17. Lot's of good suggestions

so I don't have anything to add on that side of it. In general any change in elimination patterns, especially in the crate for an adult dog, is vet time for sure, just to be on the safe side. Keep us informed, I hope it clears up quick.

My wife and I are poo-logists when it involves our six dogs. I knew we were way over the edge when we started have serious discussions about firmness and color.

[xchrom]

19. veggies could do it

i had a yorkie that used to like veggies -- but he developed colitis as a result.
not every dog can handle veggies. some but not all.

[WWW]

20. I feel like

I am the 'don't give potatoes to dogs!' woman. I think I remember you saying that you were going to give your dogs Veg-All. My Buffett cannot.. and I speak from experience.. eat potatoes. Poop like there was no tomorrow. I think I have posted about potatoes and dogs before...as well as chocolate. I think the lesson to be learned is every dog is different. Kibbles and Bits and an occasional (okay, every meal.. table scrap) When they are dying, a can of alpo twice a day...and bean dip(salsa, refried beans, hamburger, sour cream) (keeps 'em going for another ten years!)
also, Buffett's favorite...Little Friskies with hamburger grease poured on it)

[Hawkeye-X]

26. Well, we're tossing Veg-Alls, or at least

my wife's eating them.. (She's a fanatic of that food)

Hawkeye-X

[flamingyouth]

21. Does he ever get dairy products?

My parents' cat has a lactose allergy (believe it or not). She gets really sick like this if she ever gets a sneak taste of dairy, which she LOVES...

Poor Teddy!

And poor you and your wife, contending with this issue. Best of luck to you all!

[Hawkeye-X]

27. Thanks!

We are hoping for the best... My wife decided to give him one more chance, and we're going to make the best of that chance.

Hawkeye-X