The Dog Bible Q&A
Tracie welcomes any and all questions about cats AND dogs on both her live radio shows. Call in to DOG TALK on Saturdays from 11-Noon (EST) to 800-394-8830 or Wednesdays 8-9 PM (EST) to CAT CHAT 866-675-6675. (You don't need to have Sirius to call in!)
Diarrhea
My dog will periodically get diarrhea – or at least very soft stool that’s like soft-serve ice-cream. Is there anything I can do about this?
Our Own Dr. Phil and I spoke about diarrhea only recently but some folks may have missed the show so I wanted to recap his suggestions.
First, he said that diarrhea is a fairly common event that takes a couple of days to resolve naturally, and it will get better on its own. However, since we have to clean up after our dogs, we are eager to end loose stool just as soon as possible! So here are some dietary tips he gave for managing the situation:
1) Rest the digestive system by giving no food for 12 hours
2) Give bland food like boiled rice with: boiled skinless chicken, boiled ground beef, scrambled eggs or cottage cheese
3) Canned pumpkin is reported to be of some help.
In terms of medications you can give, a Pepto Bismol type product is fine (my note is that tablets are a LOT easier to administer by putting one down the back of your dog’s throat, rather than covering yourself in bright pink liquid that you try to get down his gullet!)
Veterinary products with Kaolin in them can also be effective. If diarrhea is persistent, some vets will give Tylin, an antibiotic to knock out bacterial overgrowth in the digestive system.
I have recently discovered an amazing natural product from Platinum Performance, who make the joint supplement I give my dogs and recommend to everyone. Platinum makes a stomach-settling powder called Bio-Sponge which you sprinkle on the food and it absorbs toxins in the stomach and gut. I have two Weimeraners who have intermittently had soft stool and after two meals with Bio-Sponge on their food their stool is formed and normal. I am in awe that they never even told me about this phenomenal product before I ordered it – since they were the original sponsors of DOG TALK, when having a radio show as only a gleam in my eye. But then I only just now learned that they have a great joint pain supplement for cats, too – so live and learn for all of us!
Tracie Hotchner
Tracie welcomes any and all questions about cats AND dogs on both her live radio shows. Call in to DOG TALK on Saturdays from 11-Noon (EST) to 800-394-8830 or Wednesdays 8-9 PM (EST) to CAT CHAT 866-675-6675. (You don't need to have Sirius to call in!)
DISCLAIMER: Please be aware that the advice I give on the air or in emails – or those you see posted here – are not intended to take the place of a veterinarian's advice or expertise. I say this to protect myself from being misunderstood or from your over-reliance on my advice in situations where your pet may be seriously ill and you would mistakenly delay seeking medical intervention. While I am confident in the research-based facts and common-sense advice I can offer, it is never meant to be used at the exclusion of trained, accredited and board certified professionals. But I also have this disclaimer to protect your dog – because what you learn from me is not intended to take the place of medical care or professional evaluation – on the contrary, my desire is to equip you with information that will allow you to enjoy your pets to the fullest, and also to encourage you to seek professional medical attention whenever there are physical symptoms or an overall change in your pet's attitude.
The information contained in the answers posted on this board comes from THE DOG BIBLE: Everything Your Dog Wants You To Know, and from DOG TALK® The Radio Show, broadcast live, Saturdays, from 11-12 noon EST, on your local NPR affiliate. All emails are answered personally and then posted, sometimes in abbreviated form.
