Ups and Downs with Yogi

S

seashel

Forums Enthusiast
We are living in a deep freeze here in the UK at the moment, disruption all over the country, but shelties still find plenty to be happy about! We couldn't do our usual sunday walk due to the weather so I went out with a sheltie owning friend and camera, plus 6 shelties

http://cmd.shutterfly.com/commands/...ge=introducingmyshelties/newpictures&album=91

After the fun, unfortunatly we had yet more problems again last night. Yogi had been fine, until I let him and Revel out before going to bed. Yogi was out for ages, a good 10 minutes and I was worrying as I hadn't put on his coat for what I thought would be a quick excursion and the tempreture was well below freezing. Then he reappeared, evidently in some distress and still straining. I got him in the warm again. What followed was a two hour long session of Yogi trying to poo. He'd go out, produce pea sized (but solid) pieces, then stop and come in for a bit. Thankfully there was no (obvious) blood, but he was obviously in pain, trembling and panting heavily. He was also sick, probably due to the straining. While he was inside I sat and stroked him and went out with him in the garden. Finally he did 2 normal looking poos in fairly quick sucession, after which he quickly improved. I stayed up with him for another hour to make sure he was ok, until 2 in the morning. Today, back to 'normal' bright and happy again.
I've stopped with the raw food,just in case although I don't think it's that which is causing the problem. To keep up the protein levels I've added some coley to the w/d.

It's just so difficult, seeing him go from a lively, exuberant dog like in the pictures, to one who is suffering a lot of pain and then back again in the space of 5 hours. I have noticed that these 'bouts' seem to come in cycles of 10-14 days so I am praying that he will be ok again until after the holiday period and improved weather. I cannot realistically see us getting to the specialist before then.

Tonight he's lively and happy again, wanting to play ball earlier. It's such a mystery.
However, I am thankful that the majority of the time he is ok.
 
Julia, I am so sorry that Yogi is still feeling so poorly. I really hope that you get some answers soon. I can only imagine how hard it is to watch Yogi and see that he is not feeling up to his usual self.

Praying that you get answers and a solution soon.

On the bright side, what wonderful pictures you got. I love that in the last one and the second to last one there is one dog with his/her head thrown back barking. Typical!
 
What about giving him cooked vegetables to help him go. Mally loves cooked carrots. Also, pumpkin is given for constipation and also for diarrhea, I think.
 
That is exactly what I was going to do and I had started to introduce some cooked veggies, when it all kicked off again. I am a little wary now, as on a previous occasion a few weeks ago he had another bout when I had added cooked carrots to his fish and potato. It is probably an unfortunate coincidence but I will wait a couple of days before giving it another try. It's so sad as Yogi loved his raw carrots dearly. I even showed him once at Crufts using carrot pieces as bait (mistake as it took too long to eat!!:winkgrin:). Now we are reduced to eating frozen carrots as having fresh ones and peeling them without giving him some makes him so upset it is unkind. I just daren't risk it at the moment:cry:
 
I'm thinking he's probably not straining because he's constipated, its probably because his bowels have become overactive and he feels like he has to push, even though there's nothing left for him to produce.

It sounds so much like what I went through with Sadie, she had severe diarrhea and vomiting every 2-3 weeks for months. Here are the links to the threads

http://www.sheltieforums.com/showthread.php?t=288
http://www.sheltieforums.com/showthread.php?t=430
http://www.sheltieforums.com/showthread.php?t=2675

What finally got her over her issue was the vet food she was put on, a super hypoallergenic food. I gave her this strictly with nothing else for months, then eventually started letting her have carrots as treats. It took a little over a year for things to go back to normal and for me to be able to try her on another dog food.

How long has Yogi been on his current vet food? I would think you'd notice at least a difference in a couple of weeks. If not, definitely talk to your vet.
I noticed a difference with Sadie within a couple of weeks (she may have been on metronidizole to start), and the episodes of diarrhea took a few months to gradually die away, each attack gradually becoming less bad.

This is the food That Sadie was on, you might want to mention it to your vet and see if he/she thinks something similar might help Yogi.

http://www.royalcanin.ca/index.php/...ary-Exclusive-Dog-Diets/Hypoallergenic-HP-Dry
 
I am so sorry you are having such a hard time with him and I know it is so hard on you to watch him in discomfort. I do hope you get through Christmas and New Years and get some answers shortly. Awesome pictures, what a fun time.
 
seashel said:
I am a little wary now, as on a previous occasion a few weeks ago he had another bout when I had added cooked carrots to his fish and potato. It is probably an unfortunate coincidence but I will wait a couple of days before giving it another try.
Click to expand...

Thinking about you and Yogi and so hoping that things stay on an even keel until you can see the specialist.

Just a thought, but what about keeping to a strict diet during the interim, whether it's the fish and potato or whatever he does well on, and not adding anything else until you've seen the specialist ? Gosh, just saying this makes me feel like a terrible Grinch, but hopefully this would allow his gut to settle down ?
 
Katherine said:
Just a thought, but what about keeping to a strict diet during the interim, whether it's the fish and potato or whatever he does well on, and not adding anything else until you've seen the specialist ? Gosh, just saying this makes me feel like a terrible Grinch, but hopefully this would allow his gut to settle down ?
Click to expand...

Very good suggestion Katherine. Poor Yogi's stomach and intestines are probably so inflamed right now that just about anything will set him off. Yogi may feel MUCH better if you stick to the chicken and rice or whatever it is you're feeding him now that doesn't set him off.
 
OntarioSheltie said:
Very good suggestion Katherine. Poor Yogi's stomach and intestines are probably so inflamed right now that just about anything will set him off. Yogi may feel MUCH better if you stick to the chicken and rice or whatever it is you're feeding him now that doesn't set him off.
Click to expand...

That's exactly what our vet said for Miko... NOTHING other than chicken & rice (that happens to be what settles his stomach down). No treats, no veggies, no kibble ... NOTHING. I had the nerve to ask about a bit of plain yogurt to regulate his intestinal flora.. I hadn't even gotten the whole question out before he was saying "NOTHING!!". LOL.. Ok ok, I get it... nothing!!

Miko has been eating NOTHING but chicken & rice for a week now and things are marginally better. His diarrhea has subsided, but his stools are not what I would call "normal"... I can tell that if I started adding kibble now that we'd be back to square one in no time.

Anyway, I guess what I'm saying is that you know Yogi best. I would continue giving him the fish & potatoes with nothing else added until you speak with the vet, get some more answers and/or until you really really feel that he's ready. Of course Yogi's going to make you feel terribly guilty... but he doesn't know what's good for him at this point.

Good luck... I know how disheartening it is to have a dog with seemingly unresolveable tummy issues. May the new year bring both Yogi & Miko healthier days!!
 
The dog with his head thrown back and barking is my Revel - who goes power mad and very bossy when out with this gang. He is the top man and lets everyone know it!!

I have decided to stick with the w/d vet food until after we've had the colonoscopy done, just with adding in some coley to boost the protein levels. It seems to be working ok. Although the vets said it was fine to try with the raw food nuggets and I don't know if it was that, the carrots or the 'cycle' which triggered the latest bout, I'm now very wary of adding anything new. The trouble with the w/d is that while high in fibre, it is a weight loss food for diabetic dogs and Yogi has such high energy levels that even with much reduced excersize, he was still burning off the calories. Hence the coley. Plain boiled chicken should also be ok but no veggies I think until we have some answers. Christmas is going to be tough this year. We go to family for the day and they are always giving the dogs scraps. Yogi will have to be confined to his crate I think to stop anyone doing this without thinking or dropping something he might eat.

Andrea, I've been following yours and Miko's thread too, sounds as if our boys are having similar issues. I wholeheartedly echo your hope for the new year.

Yogi is currently asleep in a nest in my pillow. He's been allowed to get away with more stuff since he's been pooly....
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top