My dog has C. perfringens. How serious is it and is it common?

Clostridial infections can occur in both humans and animals. As long as you practice proper hygiene before and after handling Gacy and cleaning the cage then there is likely little cause for concern.

It is hard to say if the diarrhea is related to Summer’s respiratory issues or not. If it was parasites causing the problem, they certainly could be related. Also, sometimes certain antibiotics can upset the gut flora (the normal bacteria in the gut) and can cause diarrhea. Regardless of the cause of the diarrhea, starting Summer on metronidazole and a probiotic is a good idea. This is the typical treatment for diarrhea. I can understand that having your dog on two different antibiotics can be concerning but sometimes it is necessary. Metronidazole is great for diarrhea because it specifically targets the type of bacteria that overgrows causing the diarrhea. At this point I would recommend continuing the current therapy your vet prescribed. The diarrhea should start to resolve in 3-5 days. If this is not the case you may want to have a recheck at your vet. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. The diarrhea is very common after boarding and can be related to either the food or the stress/excitement of boarding. The thirst is usually secondary (that is, to keep up with the water loss of the diarrhea.) The antibiotics Tylan and metronidazole are commonly prescribed for diarrhea because they restore the gut bacteria balance and have some anti-inflammatory effects in the gut as well. I expect that part o clear up in a few days. The cough could still be kennel cough. “Kennel cough” is a syndrome that can be caused by about a dozen viruses and bacteria. The current kennel cough vaccine only covers one bacterial cause. If it is mild, you may not need to do anything. Most dogs clear kennel cough on their own within 4 weeks. If she is not eating, is lethargic, the cough is severe or keeps her (or you) up at night, you need to see your vet for antibiotics and/or a cough suppressant. Of course coughing can also be: pneumonia, fungal infection, heart disease, bronchitis, and others. So if you are worried at all, see your vet. Best wishes to you and the pups!

Dogs who deal with frequent issues related to bacterial over growth often have any underlying condition causing inflammation in the gut. The most common causes are worms, giardia or food allergies. Less common causes could be IBD, pancreatitis or pancreatic insufficiency (though other causes are also possible). I recommend to start by having Jack checked for worms and giardia. If none are found, I recommend a 12 week diet trial with a hydrolyzed protein. This is similar to an elimination trial for humans and it will give you an idea if food is related to the issue or not. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Stella. While all medications can have side effects, antibiotics typically cause gastrointestinal upset. Be sure to give the ciprofloxacin with food as this can help decrease these effects. If this does not help, then you will need to contract her veterinarian. She should be seen today if she is acting sick as such being lethargic or refusing to eat or drink as there are other causes of the symptoms you have described not related to her medications. I hope this information helps!

Glad to hear that the vomiting was resolved with Cerenia. This is usually a pretty good indication that there is no serious obstruction within the upper or lower intestinal tract. If there is continued diarrhea, the addition of an antibiotic / anti inflammatory such as metronidazole would be my next step. You can certainly use medications such as pepto bismol or maalox but I do not find them to be very effective. They do not actually address inflammation in a particularly effective manner. Another possibility unfortunately that can not be ignored in an 11 year old animal are certain types of cancer. However, I would not truly begin to consider this strongly unless there has been a longer history of problems, including weight loss and muscle wasting. Hope this makes sense.

Poor Sonnie! Nearly any antibiotic can cause vomiting and diarrhea as a side effect, so I would not become overly concerned about that point. If Sonnie does develop this, call his vet and offer a bland diet of boiled white meat chicken and white rice for a few days to allow his stomach to settle. As for the dosage, clindamycin has a wide dose range when treating abscesses. Sonnie is currently receiving 16 mg/kg, and this range can go up to 33mg/kg. Continue following the prescribed directions and call his vet if anything changes for him. I hope that all goes well!