# New puppy with upset stomach



## HellyK (Nov 24, 2012)

Hello,

I am new to the site and am hoping for some reassurance please. Sorry for the icky topic.

I have a new puppy who I have had for 6 days. She will be 8 weeks old on Monday. She hasn't left the house since we got her other than into the garden and we don't have another dog.

On Tuesday she developed a bad case of diarrhea with blood. I had just changed her food from dry to wet as she didn't seem to want to eat the dried food. I thought this was probably what it was so put her back on the dried food, which again she didn't really want to eat (although she wasn't impressed with the wet actually).

On Wednesday her poo went a little back to normal then back to the runs again ever since. She's doing it fairly frequently and it sounds quite gassy when she goes. It has mucus in and a little blood.

I took her to the vet yesterday who has put her on antibiotics and some paste and solution for dehydration but I am very concerned she has parvovirus which the vet said was a possibility. We have all fallen in love with her already and I am very worried.

Her poo is now bright yellow (like a curry) but I'm putting that down to the fact she is on pasta and chicken (which she LOVES!).

If it was parvovirus would she be quite sick by now in herself? She is very happy and quite active. Should I take heart from the fact that she is playful still when she is up? Of course she sleeps a lot being so little so its hard to judge how lethargic she really is but she plays with us in short bursts.

I'm due to go back to the vet on Monday for a check up. Unfortunately she wont be able to have her jab though now as she is on the antibiotics which is a shame.

Many thanks for any thoughts anyone might have. 
Helen


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

HellyK said:


> Hello,
> 
> I am new to the site and am hoping for some reassurance please. Sorry for the icky topic.
> 
> ...


Usually mucos and blood in the feaces is colitis inflamation of the bowel.

Puppies can get loose and diarrhoea through the stress of leaving mum and litermates, they can also get loose and diarrhoea from sudden abrubt changes of food, especially if on top of re-location stress, so that probably hasnt helped the situation. She may have a bacterial bug on top shes picked up too in which case the antibiotics should help. Im guessing they have given you something like lectade rehydration sachets to mix in with her water although there are other brands, and also possibly protexin pro Kolin paste or similar thats also very good usually. So if its a minor bout and/or bacterial it should settle although possibly not immediate it should gradually settle especilly with the chicken and pasta resting diet.

With parvo they tend to become very depressed uninterested in their surroundings and very quiet, then usually they develope severe diarrhoea and vomitting. The faeces usually with parvo also has a distinctive really foul disgusting smell, once you smell a dog with parvo you never forget it.
On chicken and rice and pasta the faeces are often yellow.

Just keep a close eye on her, You dont seem to have mentioned vomitting so Im assuming she isnt? If she does start vomitting, the diarrhea gets worse instead of improving, she becomes depressed and not interested in anything and quiet then ring your vet before you are due to go back for advice.

In the meantime carry on with the paste, the resting diet and the re-hydration fluid, also make sure she drinks smaller but very regular amounts are fine especially if your still using the re-hydration therapy as well.


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## cinnamontoast (Oct 24, 2010)

Exactly what Sled dog hotel said, she is brilliant! 

When looking at food, go for no cereal, but add super slowly to the chicken and rice until she's all switched over. Thes a fab thread on here called the dry food index and here's a wet one, too. That and Which? dog food are useful tools.


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## HellyK (Nov 24, 2012)

Thanks so much the quick replies! Yes, the vet has put her on the things you mentioned Sled dog hotel and no she isn't vomiting thankfully. It's very hard when we've only had her a few days to know what's not normal for her in her behaviour so it's hard to know if she is depressed! I'm really keeping my fingers crossed it is something straightforward.

I hope it is just an upset tummy. Do you know if there are particular type of food that's good for dogs with sensitive stomachs? I guess there must be, I'll take a look at the other forum you mentioned Cinnamontoast, thanks very much.


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

HellyK said:


> Thanks so much the quick replies! Yes, the vet has put her on the things you mentioned Sled dog hotel and no she isn't vomiting thankfully. It's very hard when we've only had her a few days to know what's not normal for her in her behaviour so it's hard to know if she is depressed! I'm really keeping my fingers crossed it is something straightforward.
> 
> I hope it is just an upset tummy. Do you know if there are particular type of food that's good for dogs with sensitive stomachs? I guess there must be, I'll take a look at the other forum you mentioned Cinnamontoast, thanks very much.


As you have only had her 6 days a lot of it could be stress and where you tried to change her food on top. Even if what the breeder had them on and its not great, its always best to leave them on it until they have got over the shock of the upheaval and settled in for at least a couple of weeks. Then you need to change the food gradually even then, by adding a little more of the new on a daily basis and a little less of the old so it doesnt upset them.

Young pups do tend to have periods of sleep inbetween they need it, sometimes after a bout of play they will then sleep. You will know if shes depressed and lethargic, as she likely wont want to play or be interested in things at all, even between the sleeping and will just mope about or sleep continuously.

If you are going for commercial food wether it be wet or dry look at the contents. Contents are always listed in order of whats most of in it first.
So meat in the highest percentage should always be first and also what meats in it, ie chicken, lamb etc. Avoid food that say meat derivatives that can be any old meat of different types or they can change what the put in it as and when. Also avoid ones that have cereals listed first or cereals in huge amounts of various kinds, also nothing added thats artificial colouring or preservative wise. Vegetables are obviously fine. A lot of foods have bulkers and fillers in them and a lot have wheat which isnt good, and things that are no particular nutritional value at all.

The food index threads already mentioned have done this all for you.

Nature diet is a good wet food thats all natural if you want wet
Naturediet
| Naturediet

Personally Ive found natural dog company dry good too, and have mentioned it to several people whos dogs have iffy digestions and it has helped

Natural Dog Food products are 100% Natural
The Natural Dog Food Company  where good health comes naturally


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## Thorne (May 11, 2009)

I really can't be any more helpful than Sled Dog Hotel!

What food was puppy on at the breeder's and what have you switched her onto? 

Can't go far wrong with Naturediet, I can't afford to feed mine on it for every meal but they have it as a treat and my sensitive dog is fine with it. He's on Vitalin Sensitive which is a decent food that suits him well - there's better out there but I'd recommend it as a dry food which won't break the bank!
Have a read of the wet and dry dog food indexes which are "stickied" at the top of the Health and Nutrition section if you've not already done so


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## HellyK (Nov 24, 2012)

Thorne said:


> What food was puppy on at the breeder's and what have you switched her onto?


Thanks everyone. The breeder sent me home with some cans of Pedigree Puppy wet food and a bag of Purina Beta. I was also given a little bag of ready moistened food for the next couple of meals when we took her home. I suspect that quite possibly the food I have been sent home with might not be the food she was eating at the breeders? She is so little and will have been weaned not too long before we had to collect her I imagine (the breeder needed us to collect her earlier than normal).

She doesn't seem to like either of the options we came home with. She was barely eating anything which is why I tried the meat instead. I thought she wasn't eating because of her illness but actually she gobbles the pasta and chicken up and looks for more! She clearly just didn't like the other food. I'll try and find something nice and tasty to get her onto when she is better.


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

HellyK said:


> Thanks everyone. The breeder sent me home with some cans of Pedigree Puppy wet food and a bag of Purina Beta. I was also given a little bag of ready moistened food for the next couple of meals when we took her home. I suspect that quite possibly the food I have been sent home with might not be the food she was eating at the breeders? She is so little and will have been weaned not too long before we had to collect her I imagine (the breeder needed us to collect her earlier than normal).
> 
> She doesn't seem to like either of the options we came home with. She was barely eating anything which is why I tried the meat instead. I thought she wasn't eating because of her illness but actually she gobbles the pasta and chicken up and looks for more! She clearly just didn't like the other food. I'll try and find something nice and tasty to get her onto when she is better.


If the breeder hasnt given you what she was on there then that could contribute to her tum upset as well. Not daft is she if shes scoffing down the chicken and pasta If she was truly ill then she wouldnt be eating that either I would have thought. often with collitis they can be well in every other way unless its a really bad bout, and apart from the loose poos/diarrhoea Mucos in it and sometimes specks of blood they are often fine in every other way.


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## HellyK (Nov 24, 2012)

Thanks, I'll see how she goes this weekend. Hopefully she'll be back to normal next week!


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## cinnamontoast (Oct 24, 2010)

HellyK said:


> Thanks everyone. The breeder sent me home with some cans of Pedigree Puppy wet food and a bag of Purina Beta. I was also given a little bag of ready moistened food for the next couple of meals when we took her home. I suspect that quite possibly the food I have been sent home with might not be the food she was eating at the breeders? She is so little and will have been weaned not too long before we had to collect her I imagine (the breeder needed us to collect her earlier than normal).


Both named foods are rubbish quality. How old is the pup? I take it the breeder wasn't KC registered?


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