[dougsbestfriend]

hello, our five and a half month old basset doug has constant tummy trouble. the vets seem disinterested though. ha has always had runny poo and wind and now he is urging. he is on food for delicate tummies to no avail. any advice?.. dougs best friend.

 

[klm42005]

It may be food allergies..try some by wellness with just one or two ingredients and see if that helps. I know a lab that only had a few ingredients that had to be cooked for him or else he had the same issues.

Hope this helps.

Woody's mom

 

[Soundtrack]

I would switch to a vet who IS interested in getting to the bottom of the problem.

 

[bubbad]

I'm with Soundtrack on this one. This puppy can not possibly be feeling very well.There are foods out there specially made for tricky stomachs but a Vet should see him first.Has he had stool samples checked for parasites?They can reinfect themselves after treatment for parasites.Find a vet who cares.

 

[roscolaylamommy]

If you are trying to rule out a food allergy you should also make sure to eliminate treats and chew bones. I know when Rosco was little he couldn't eat rawhide bones because they made his tummy really upset.

I also agree with everyone else....at least take him to another vet for a second opinion. If this were your child and they didn't get better, you wouldn't hesitate to take them to another doctor.

 

[dougsbestfriend]

dougs poor tummy.

thanks, i hadnt thought about the treats and bones, will stop them and see what happens. i have ordered him some burns food to try so i hope it will help,does anyone else use it? will def look into another vet as they havent mentioned looking at a stool sample and we have had the problem from day one. ta everyone

 

[SophieB]

Like Roscolaylamommy, I would also start by eliminating things like hide chews and bones... we had to stop our Bassets from having those hide chews because they had occasionally swallowed big pieces and a knot end of a big 'bone' and out of interest, I dropped another knot end (from a 'chew bone') into a glass of water and by day 2, the 'knot' had expanded and filled the width of the glass so I have stopped buying those hide chews because if swallowed they would get huge inside a tummy.

I have also cut back treats like pigs' ears to once a week and for 'treats' my Bassets now get ordinary dog biscuits like the little bone shaped ones, Spratts' Ovals, doggy choc buttons, or I take a few pieces of their Eukanuba food bits in my pocket on walks and we don't seem to get upset tummies.

 

[sadeyes2]

I have used Burn's lamb and brown rice for years. I soften it with warm water, and add a tablespoon of Nature Diet lamb (one tablespoon does both dogs). I occasionally add cooked green beans or peas, cut very small.

My westie has a very sensitive stomach so before this I home cooked for them.

I have found Burn's an excellent food and I strongly suggest that before you switch to it you phone their free nutritional Helpline whose number is on the packet. They will explain to you how to make the change gradually and properly.

My westie (apart from the first few days) has done wonderful on this food and so has my basset.

 

[Scully]

I would agree that you might want to find a vet who is a little more on the ball about getting to the bottom of the issue. Also, it would be very wise to have your baby's stool tested for parasites (including giardia), as already mentioned. When our girl had tummy troubles at about 6 months old, it turned out to be giardia. If I remember correctly, our vet also seemed to think that it would be quite unlikely (but not absolutely unheard of), for a dog to already have food allergies at that age.

 

[bklantz]

Ella had very loose stools when she was a pup and for us it ended up being her food, we switched food a few different times and finally found something that gave her more solid stools.

I agree with finding a vet that is more concerned and having the stool tested to make sure it isn't a parasite.

The trainer that did Ella's obedience class said quite a few dogs are allergic to chicken and since that is a big ingredient in a lot of foods you could try using a non chicken food? Not sure if that is really true but we tried it and it seemed true for Ella, we feed a lamb and rice formula now

 

[bubbad]

If your puppy has never ,since you have had him,had a stool sample done I would get one to the vets ASAP,I would take one out to your old vet and tell them you will wait for the results,that way you are sure they do it.Worms can be debilitating,can cause loose stools,anemia,even death. There could be a food problem ,but I would rule this out first.

 

[jaleely]

you'd think the vet would have offered to test the poo already! if your pup has worms or parasites (which usually puppies do, unless they're from an amazing breeder who monitors or deworms them) he is not getting enough nutrition. You can try switching foods in the meantime...holistic select has worked wonders for my dog who had stomach issues. But also just an over the counter Asodopholis pill works. it's just a probiotic...good bacteria that eats the bad bacteria in the intestines.
i would try that and find a better vet!

 

[SophieB]

I was chatting to a friend this afternoon who has a dog (not a Basset) who had a sensitive tummy and used to have loose stools and she said she was recommended 'Purina Pro Plan, Sensitive Salmon & Rice food' and has no problems now, so I don't know if you want to try something like that for your dog... but I agree you need a more knowledgeable and considerate vet, in case there is anything serious going on!