I think I might have been getting too cocky! Just yesterday I was thinking how we seem to have finally found food and treats and snacks that are all agreeing with Sabaka's system because we have had many weeks of nice, firm regular stools. Except for the couple loose poos while on the hike on Saturday, it's been great. I attributed the loose stools on the hike to excitement tearing up his system because his poo the following morning was just fine. I even let him have his evening meal even though he had been runny that day.

Last night Bob took him to a couple of pet stores and told me that he was a NUT! He was just freaking out with excitement about everything. Of course the nice clerks also gave him a "tiny Snausage-looking thing" at one store and "a piece of a Milkbone" at Petsmart.

Well...at 4:00 last night I knew there would be no more strange treats from the pet shops!! Now after logical thinking has kicked back in with the sunrise this morning I wonder if such tiny treats could be doing this to him. If it is excitement, I wonder why he's never done this when going to kid's sporting events or to puppy school. I think he does get messed up by stress because when he was new to us and very young he was getting stressed in his crate and pooing a soft-to-runny poo on occasion.

THEN...I think about the hike on Saturday knowing that he played in the creek some and drank some of the water. Could he have picked up something like Giardia from that!?!?!

I guess I do not feed him this morning?? I gave him a couple of tablespoons of canned pumpkin at 4:00 last night. But he has had nasty poo again since then.

Stress?? (Which I know tears him up)
Food Allergy?? (Which I suspect since I gave him the Ever-Lasting Treat ball a few months ago)
Giardia?? (I hope not!!)

Ginger will go soft when she's really excited. But she will always go back to being normal by the time she has her next BM. If something did not agree with her that she ate, she'll go soft, but again, she'll work herself out and be back to normal within a 12 hour period or by the time she has another BM.

When Sabaka drank water from the creek, was the water moving? Or was the water still? Top water moving in a creek is usually safer to drink than getting water from the bottom where it's not moving. But water from a creek that is still is usually where giardia can be found. That's why when out camping and you need to filter water from a stream, it's always best to draw water from a river/creek/stream that's running, and draw water from the surface, and not down from the bottom.

How long has his BMs been runny/soft?
Is he showing any other symptoms other than soft/runny BMs?
Is his energy normal?
Is his appetite normal?

Claudia,

The diarrhea just started about 3:00 last night. Bob said the BM before bed (and after pet stores) was normal. He just went out at 10:00am and peed but no poo. Now just moments ago he threw up some yellow stomach acid (probably because he's hungry and I haven't feed him). It appeared to have some raw carrot pieces and carpet fuzz/husky hair (??) in it.

He played in the rapids at the creek and I know he drank that. He would try to taste every puddle along the path, so we were trying to be quick to pull him away from those.

He has no other symptoms (execept the one barf). I can't evaluate his energy. He has been sleeping most of the morning since he was awake alot last night. He would bounce around and even try to play in the middle of the night after having gone outside. I haven't feed him anything, but I think he would eat. He is drinking and looking at his food bowl occassionlly.

I think the bile vomit was just due to the empty stomach. I would hazard a guess that it's either the stress or the unknown treat or the combination that upset his tummy like that. It's always possible to get parasites from rivers, streams, etc but odds are against it if he stuck mainly to moving water and you tried to carefully control his drinking elsewhere along the trail.

I'd give him something bland to have on his tummy like a bit of scrambled egg if he can tolerate it. If his stool improves then go back to normal feeding. Yes, a tiny treat can do that to a dog if it doesn't agree with him. A TINY bit of rice or beef liver can give my sibe the runs and put him off his food for days!

....wheat...

So far I think every treat he has had problems with contained wheat. Our "Science-Diet-Only" vet smears a little of the canned SD food on the examining table when she does "nasty" things like checks his temp or gives injections. It's very kind to take his mind off of the procedure...but...it's SD. He actually had no problem with eating that and I checked to ingredients right away. It contains two of my fears: Corn and soy. So maybe he can tolerate corn and soy.

IF the bone was indeed a Milkbone (I just found out hubby is using the word "Milkbone" the way many of us use the word "Kleenex"), then it's main ingredient is wheat. He eats By Nature dog biscuits at home and, can I just say, they smell so good I want to taste one! I'll make sure to substitute one of his own biscuits for the one offered by the clerks from now on!

Ginger did the same thing this morning with the yellow bile throw-up. She does that on occassion and was told by my vet that they could do that when they're expecting food and their bellies over-produce digestive enzymes.

I will sometimes see Ginger's BM go soft 12 hours after I gave her something new to try as a treat if it doesn't agree with her tummy. But by her next BM or within 12 hour period, she'll be back to normal. I will still feed her normal food though.

I don't know how long it would take for Giardia to take effect, but I also think that you'd see other symptoms if it was Giardia.

I agree with Val. If his tummy can handle it, try something bland like scrambled eggs or hard boiled eggs.

SabakaMom wrote:

....wheat...

So far I think every treat he has had problems with contained wheat. Our "Science-Diet-Only" vet smears a little of the canned SD food on the examining table when she does "nasty" things like checks his temp or gives injections. It's very kind to take his mind off of the procedure...but...it's SD. He actually had no problem with eating that and I checked to ingredients right away. It contains two of my fears: Corn and soy. So maybe he can tolerate corn and soy.

IF the bone was indeed a Milkbone (I just found out hubby is using the word "Milkbone" the way many of us use the word "Kleenex"), then it's main ingredient is wheat. He eats By Nature dog biscuits at home and, can I just say, they smell so good I want to taste one! I'll make sure to substitute one of his own biscuits for the one offered by the clerks from now on!

I have no problem telling the pet store or my vet 'No' if they want to give Ginger treats and I don't know what's in it. I kindly say, 'Thank you, but she has food intolerances'. I don't even have to go into what she cannot tolerate, but when asked, I will tell them.

SabakaMom wrote:

He eats By Nature dog biscuits at home and, can I just say, they smell so good I want to taste one!

Have you tried the Nature's Variety Instinct Grain free treats? I love the smell of their NV Instinct treats with Duck Meal, Sweet Potatoes, and Cinnamon. They smell so good (like people goodies) and not only do all my dogs love them but it agrees with all their tummies which is saying something!

I went ahead and fed him his regular food right after the bile vomit. Hope I did the right thing... I'll guess I'll know soon enough....

Yes, Claudia, I did that ALL the time with my first husky. She was allergic to soy. I actually found freedom in finally knowing what she was allergic to. It took years of trial and error (alot of error) to figure that out.

Val!! I have 2 out of 4 pet stores that stock Nature's Variety!! I don't think I ever remember seeing the treats on their shelves though. I will certainly have to try them out if I can find them! Thanks for the recommendation!

Hello!...

I am having the same issue with Kato. Since we got him.. his stool has been either soft or diarrhea. I thought it was what they called heart worm.. so we got him the shot and though thtat will fix it ..but he still has soft and runny stool. Is it normal for puppies to still be experiencing watery poo?

How long ago did you get Kato?
How old is Kato?
What are you feeding him?
Is he still energetic, playful, etc? No other symptoms?

Claudia,

We had kato for about a month now. He is about 12 weeks or so. Since we've brought him home.. we have been feeding him Natural Balance. He was experiencing runny poo at the beginning and then it got better.. so we recently bought the same brand. He is still very energetic and playful, aside from sleeping all day yesterday, but i'm assuming it was because of the heat.

Which formula/flavor are you feeding? I wonder if there's an ingredient or protein he isn't tolerating well?

Have you gotten any tests done to rule out any other causes?

Poor Kato =( This sounds oh to familiar to me! We brought Kody home at 12 weeks old and he had diarrhea for about 2months (or more). With the help of Val and Claudia I was able to find food that he could tolerate. I tried Natural Balance also and it was a no go with him.

You could try a bland diet of scrambled eggs (or hard boiled eggs) for a couple of days and see how he does. If he starts to firm up, try adding green beans or carrots. If he still does OK, then slowly add back in Natural Balance. If at any time he goes soft, back off what you just added. If adding NB back and he goes soft, then you'll know something in NB is causing him to go soft.

I know NB has a grain free line and one that isn't. So it may very well be the formula of NB that you're feeding.

I have just put Sabaka's second cup of food in his bowl for the day. Since he ate around 11am, he has not had anymore poos, runny or otherwise!! Yay!! I'm hoping for a nice, firm poo later this evening. Thanks for all your input. I will keep my eyes open for something more serious, but for now I am assuming it is a food allergy.

Amy, there are SO many huskies with food allergies. Most allergens are grains or soy, but there are dogs allergic to certain meats. I would guess there is something that you are feeding your little guy that is not agreeing with him. A few months ago Sabaka was having some problems and I realized that I had failed to consider things like the Everlasting Treat Ball and other such "toys" that you can fill with treats. One such treat contained glycerine! I think of enemas or soap when I think of glycerine! I'm not even sure glycerine should be ingested! I checked the website and the glycerine was used to keep the product soft. No more glycerine...

Even though I have always thought of rice as a "good" grain and both huskies I've had have tolerated it well, Val's pup can't have it at all. The advice that most on here will give you to stop feeding any processed kibble or treats and introduce ingredients one at a time is great advice. It's a LONG tiring process but, as you know, it is better than having a sick puppy.

Good luck!

Thank you all of you for the wonderful advice!!!... Being a first time husky mommy is difficult. I will try to change up his food... as advised by Claudia.. I will add those ingredients into his food and see how that will work for him. I've also heard that adding a spoonful of pumpkin will actually help as well.

Could the heat have anything to do with it?

1 or 2 tablespoons of plain canned pumpkin (make sure it's not pumpkin pie filling!) can help firm him up, but that may not necesarily resolve anything if he really does have an issue with an ingredient in his current food.

Plain yogurt can also help his tummy or probiotics that you get from the pet store could also help. But again, it's not finding out what is causing him to go soft.

I think you mentioned that from the beginning when you got him, he was always soft or runny? So my guess is that it's something in his current food that isn't agreeing with his tummy.

Amy, I would highly recommend that you have a read through the following thread:
Chronic mild diarrhea

A lot of the things you will have to go through while on an elimination diet has been discussed in detail in that thread and it contains a lot of helpful ideas and advice. While the replies may have been targeted to Claudia for Ginger, it really can apply to any sensitive dogs. And this breed is notorious for having food sensitivities and they can range from grains to meats. And there are so many different food options out there that to list them all for you as potentials would be overwhelming. My advice would be to start an elimination diet as soon as possible by cutting out all foods except a single ingredient. If you see improvement then introduce a second ingredient and so on. If you cut back to a single ingredient and don't see improvement then try a different single ingredient until you find something that works. Yes, do try a different food but I would do a bland diet first so that his tummy has a chance to settle before introducing a new kibble.

Even something as minor as overfeeding can result in diarrhea so there are so many things it could be. By the way, how much are you currently feeding and how often?

You mentioned heartworm but I don't think HW causes diarrhea. Did you have him tested for intestinal parasites and wormed? Also, since your pup has been experiencing diarrhea for a while make sure he is getting plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration. Plain pumpkin may help settle his stomach, yogurt and probiotics can also help. But I wouldn't recommend trying all of them at once as it may only further upset his stomach. If the food he is eating does not agree with him, no amount of pumpkin or other additives are going to make it work.

I would put him on plain boiled chicken or scrambled/boiled eggs for a few days and just see how he does.

Lisa, I'm glad to hear that there haven't been any more loose stools so far. That, in and of itself, is a good sign!

Ughhh girls, I think I jinx Kody by replying to this thread earlier..lol. Guess who has diarrhea? He even pooped in his crate. He NEVER does that! =( I'm thinking (hoping) it's either one of 2 things. Hubby said he dropped a little piece pico de gallo flavored chip yesterday and he ate it. That or I upped the amount of Orijen I was giving him this morning. I gave him his raw ground beef with HK Perfect Form for dinner. Let's see what happens =( I also bought canned pumpkin to give him tomorrow morning.

SabakaMom wrote:

I have just put Sabaka's second cup of food in his bowl for the day. Since he ate around 11am, he has not had anymore poos, runny or otherwise!! Yay!! I'm hoping for a nice, firm poo later this evening. Thanks for all your input. I will keep my eyes open for something more serious, but for now I am assuming it is a food allergy.

I'm glad to her Sabaka is doing better!
I'm hoping for a nice firm BM later this evening for you!

MelissaI wrote:

Ughhh girls, I think I jinx Kody by replying to this thread earlier..lol. Guess who has diarrhea? He even pooped in his crate. He NEVER does that! =( I'm thinking (hoping) it's either one of 2 things. Hubby said he dropped a little piece pico de gallo flavored chip yesterday and he ate it. That or I upped the amount of Orijen I was giving him this morning. I gave him his raw ground beef with HK Perfect Form for dinner. Let's see what happens =( I also bought canned pumpkin to give him tomorrow morning.

If it was pico de gallo, then he should work himself out within a day...so hopefully it was that!

Isn't it amazing just the smallest piece of something can send their tummies into a tizzy??

Awwww, Melissa, we had the poop in the crate too! I guess ground into the carpet would have been worse. Hope Kody bounces back quickly!

We celebrated a very normal poo about 6:30pm!! He's having a massive wrestling match with Bob right now so it's evident that he has caught up on all of his lost sleep and is feeling better!

Yay Sabaka!
I think it was the treat he had, and he's back to himself.