Frequent diarrhea in 5 mo old Rottie

by Kris
(Indianapolis, IN)

My 5 month old Rottie has had frequent bouts of diarrhea and I’m wondering if a different food or some digestive enzymes/probiotics would help.

It usually lasts 4-5 days and results in 6-8 trips outside in the middle of the night. Both times he’s been to the vet and gotten his vaccines it’s happened. The vet prescribes probiotics and special food each time (for $85 additional dollars!).

He is currently in Iams large breed puppy food. Can anyone recommend a food that might help with the diarrhea and a probiotic or digestive enzyme? I’d really like this to stop.
Thanks!

Hi Kris. Sorry to hear about what’s happening. It’s possible that the stress of the vaccines may be lowering your pup’s immune system allowing bacteria (or even parasites) to thrive and cause this digestive upset…. or possibly your pup is having a reaction to one of the vaccines themselves.

If this only happens after he’s had his shots then hopefully he will be okay now as he should be fully vaccinated. But when it comes time for annual boosters then it could flare up again.

Iams is not a great food and if your Rottie’s tummy trouble is ongoing/chronic it’s possible that some of the ingredients are causing the symptoms, or that he’s especially sensitive to one, or more, of them.

I’d recommend checking out this page on my site.. /best-large-breed-puppy-food.html as it has suggestions and recommendations that should help you pick a premium, nutritious food.

I’d try to go for the lower protein formulas and holistic ingredients. The Canidae All Life Stages formula is a good choice for pups with sensitive tummies.

Probiotics shouldn’t really be necessary if the food he’s eating suits him. But to help settle his digestive system, you might want to look at one of these products…. BM Tone-Up Gold or PetAlive Digestive Support

To help strengthen his immune system and ward off allergic reactions… Nettle Eye-bright Gold for Dog Allergies

One last thing I’d mention is that you might want to have your vet run a fecal test to rule out Coccidia or Giardia. Both these conditions are caused by tiny single-cell parasites that live in the gut and the main symptom is watery, smelly diarrhea. Bouts tend to flare up when the immune system is challenged, which is why I’m suggesting the test.

It could be that the vaccinations lower his immune system enough to allow symptoms to show. Even if he recovers after a few days, that doesn’t mean the parasites are gone, just that his body is holding them at bay.

Antibiotics can put an end to both of these illnesses if a fecal shows that your pup has the parasites in his stools.

Hope this helps you some. I’m sure others will weigh in here too to help you out. Best of luck with your Rottweiler. ~ Sue

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Mar 22, 2014

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pro pac supporter NEW
by: Dawn Struble

Pro pack has done wonders for all our dogs. Its really worth a try. They have several formulas. My rot lost 20 lbs (needed) and allergies got better. My brothers pit mix came to me looking like a mangey mess no hair bumps all over.I bought her a bag of pro PAC pink package. Made him take it home with him. Went to visit last month, he kept her on allergen free food, she was gorgeous and her cost was fabulous.


Sep 02, 2013

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Food for poops NEW
by: Martha

Hi, My Rottie had issues with a sensitive tummy, and it seems like many of the premium foods didn’t help. She did well with Taste of the Wild, but then I found out it was made by Diamond pet foods, and they were involved in several recalls. She also did well on Acana grain free food. It’s expensive, so in trying to save a little money I tried Merrick grain free food. She and our pit mix are doing well on it. It’s about $51 USD for 35 lbs. If you order it on a website like Chewy.com it’s a bit cheaper than stores, it’s delivered to your door, and you don’t pay sales tax. My pups do tend to have diarrhea on pet foods with grains – I don’t know if it’s really an allergy; my other dogs did fine. Good luck!


Sep 01, 2013

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runny stools NEW
by: Anonymous

.Check my info on (polo’s pics) on this website. My male had severe “poops” for the the first 3-4 months of his life. The poops were off and on but we could not pin point the cause. I will tell you my life saver. I was desperate. We went to Petco and bought (Pet Pectillan pet medicine) it comes in a vanilla flavor. Add a teaspoon to his water every time you refill his bowl. It controlled the the poops so much I almost got him constipated, so be careful with the dosage. it worked miracles for me. He is probably allergic to the parvo shot. My dog broke out in all sorts of things. But he had to get those shots. The Parvo shot is like the flue shot. It simulates the symptoms of the disease, one of which is the runny stools. He will be ok…………. I am not a vet but I was one totally stressed out Rottie Mom. Good Luck


Sep 01, 2013

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Food NEW
by: Debbie

Our rottie is 2 1/2 years old and has had nothing to eat but BLUE food. She had diarrhea not to long ago and the vet said put about a tablespoon of canned pumpkin in her food..it would help her digestive system and stop the diarrhea … It worked like a charm..so now in her morning meal we give her 1 tablespoon of pumpkin everyday..no more diarrhea! Good luck with your pup. Hope she feels better soon 🙂


Sep 01, 2013

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Slippery Elm NEW
by: Juie

In the past I have used a natural product called Slippery Elm. It is totally natural and it was recommended to me by a Health Shop. Hope that helps. Good luck with your pup.


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