My dog on vegetarian diet has bloody diarrhea. Is it worms or GI?

Hi there! Sorry to hear that Bruno is not feeling well. The clinical signs you describe are concerning when they occur in a puppy as they can be seen with serious gastrointestinal infections such as Parvovirus. Other possibilities include intestinal worms and dietary indiscretion, among other possibilities. The sooner these conditions are treated the better the outcome tends to be. For this reason, I recommend that you have Bruno evaluated by your veterinarian to check for these possibilities and to start therapy based on findings. At the very least they can address dehydration if present and start him on anti-diarrhea medications. Good luck! Keeping my fingers crossed for your boy!

From the picture it does not look like there is blood in Bruno's stool. The stool does look a little loose/unformed which could indicate colitis. Colitis is an inflammation of the colon and could be caused by many different things such as intestinal parasites, inflammatory bowel disease or a food allergy/intolerance. Severe diarrhea can cause weight loss, malnutrition and dehydration. I would recommend having a fecal performed at your vet to rule out intestinal parasites. If the diarrhea becomes worse then you may need to bring Bruno in to be evaluated. He may need a diet change or antibiotics or probiotics to help clear up the soft stools.

I am very sorry to hear that your dogs are experiencing these problems, I am sure it is very unsettling for you both. There are a number of potential causes of such clinical signs, including dietary indiscretion, pancreatitis, parasite infestation, infection, and ingestion of a toxin or poison. Because you have only noticed these signs over the course of a few days I would continue to monitor them at home. Rest their gastrointestinal tracts by holding back food for a few hours. Then you can continue with a bland and easily digested food of the boiled chicken breast and white rice diet and provide plenty of fresh water. I also find that boiled, mashed skinless sweet potato is helpful for diarrhea. If they do not improve, has profuse vomiting or diarrhea, you notice fresh blood, they seems lethargic, in pain or depressed I would advise a trip to the veterinarian. I would also consider a worming treatment if you have not done so in the last 4 months; http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=35694 Here are some links to helpful resources for you; https://www.petcoach.co/article/most-common-causes-of-diarrhea-in-dogs/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/6-things-you-can-do-at-home-if-your-pet-has-diarrhea/ I hope that answer was helpful and more importantly that they feel better soon. Warmest regards to you both.

Recurrent diarrhea can be related to a number of different diseases. Some possibilities include intestinal parasites, a food sensitivity, a liver shunt, or inflammatory bowel disease. I would recommend discussing further testing with your veterinarian since Guga seems to respond to symptomatic treatment but the signs return with time. They may recommend some additional testing , or may recommend a food trial with a hypoallergenic food or a long deworming protocol. You may also want to ask about referral to an internal medicine specialist if available in your area - they are experts at managing these types of cases. Good luck!

If you have not done a good trial already, I would recommend a diet such as Royal Canin Ultamino and feed this for at least 4 weeks and see if this makes a differencr. If after the diet trial there is no difference, I would recommend adding in a probiotic such as Purina fortiflora which can be found online or at your local pet store. If the diarrhea is still there, I would recommend an abdominal ultrasound. If this is inflammatory bowel disease, Bonnie may need to be on drugs such as Budesonide and Azathioprine. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Hello, and thank you for your question. I'm sorry to hear that Chi has been unwell. If IBD is suspected, we should always try out a limited ingredient hypoallergenic diet (such as rabbit, venison, or kangaroo), for a minimum of 8 weeks with NO other treats or table scraps. However, since Chi's appetite is not the greatest, it will be a challenge to find a hypoallergenic diet that she likes. It sounds like the medications that were prescribed are appropriate for the suspected illness. Carafate is a gastroprotectant that is used to minimize gastric ulcers - it should not worsen diarrhea symptoms. Two other suggestions which I would discuss with your vet: 1) try a different type of anti-diarrhea antibiotic, such as tylosin. 2) consider weekly treatments of vitamin B12, as many dogs with IBD are B12-deficient. 3) try again with steroid therapy such as prednisolone, or try a different immunosuppresant such as cyclosporine. I hope this helps, and that Chi feels better soon.

These signs could be compatible with an inflammation infection of the gastrointestinal system and surrounding organs (like pancreas and liver). Intestinal worms seem to be the cause of it but secondary infections may be present. A clinical examination at your local veterinarian is immediately essential to confirm these clinical suspicions and treat appropriately. Antibiotics and possibly further investigations (like abdominal imaging as ultrasound or radiographs) may be needed. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.