My German Shepherd has chronic stomach issues. What's the cause?

There very well could be something else going on based on his age and the frequency of his episodes. Your vet can start with another fecal exam to make sure there are no parasite or bacteria. You may want to try a food trial of a hypoallergenic diet incase it is due to a food allergy. Older pets can get an inflammatory bowel or pancreatic problem and a diet change is a good test. They can also do bloodwork to check for any endocrine diseases such as Addison's. An ultrasound is also an option to look at the intestines and measure the thickness or look for a mass to see if a biopsy is warranted.

Chronic diarrhea can be a frustrating issue! In a young German Shepherd, my main concerns for Charlie are that he may have intestinal parasites, exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, or inflammatory bowel disease. If he has not recently had a stool sample checked for parasites, this is a good starting point. If no parasites are seen, consider discussing blood work (CBC, chemistry, B12, TLI, folate) and an abdominal ultrasound to try to get to the bottom of this situation. Probiotics (Fortiflora and Proviable are two brands) may be beneficial. I hope that all goes well!

Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! Poor guy! Causes of vomiting are: intestinal parasites, viral or bacterial infections, dietary indiscretion, foreign body, food allergy/intolerance, new food/treat.human food, intestinal disease (inflammatory bowel disease) or pancreatic disease. I am in agreement with you about your dog. German Shepherds, at least in the US have a lot of intestinal and pancreatic disease, specifically Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (EPI). Sometimes they have both conditions. Symptoms of IBD are weight loss with or with out vomiting or diarrhea. Signs of EPI are weight loss and diarrhea. I recommend deworming him 3 weeks apart with Drontal plus to cover parasites: https://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=1459 Then I would start him on a prescription hydrolyzed diet, you will need a prescription from a Vet. I like Royal Canin Ultimino or HP or Purina HA: https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/royal-canin-veterinary-diet-hydrolyzed-protein-adult-dry-dog-food If there is no improvement in weight or vomiting in 2 months then consider a trial of pancreazyme (supplement for EPI), again you will need a Vet to prescribe it for you: https://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=11245 I know there isn't a Vet close by but I highly encourage you to find one and have them examine your dog. It is best to figure out what is wrong with someone who can help you along the way. I hope this helps and I wish you all the best!

It is possible that Chloe is having an adverse food reaction and might not be tolerating the Purina Lamb and Rice. I recommend having your veterinarian check a sample of her diarrhea to make sure no parasites are present, but if everything looks okay, you might consider a prescription hypoallergenic diet trial. If that doesn't help, German Shepherds are known to occasionally have some chronic diarrhea that can be due to enzyme deficiencies, so further testing might be warranted. Hopefully a simple food change might be enough.

Finding the cause of the diarrhea is the most important thing right now as the treatment will depend on the cause. If you haven't already, having a fecal exam done as well as possible bloodwork or X-rays is best. This can help rule out common issues such as parasites, infections, etc that can cause diarrhea. German Shepherds are also prone to some issues that can cause malabsorption, which can lead to diarrhea, discolored stool, weight loss, etc. Bloodwork can help to rule these out, and in most cases the issue is resolved with a daily medication. If no major issues can be found, then a food trial may be helpful for finding any food allergies causing the GI upset.

I am sorry to hear that your dog isn’t feeling well. Many different problems can cause the signs your are seeing. These include Addison’s disease, kidney disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and exocrine pancreatic Insufficiency , and even cancer. EPI is common in shepherds and this could certainly happen in young dogs. Ideally an examination and blood work should be done by a veterinarian for a diagnosis. If that is the problem then adding pancreatic enzymes such as Prozyme and feeding a bland diet such as hills i/d can make a big difference. Best of luck and I hope you get an answer soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

This sounds more like a gastrointestinal problem to me. I recommend switching to a bland diet like Hills prescription i/d or sensitive stomach. Check a fecal also for parasites. GSD also get pancreatic insufficiency that can have similar symptoms and that is treated with an enzyme supplement. I recommend a second opinion with another veterinarian before consulting a neurosurgeon. In the meantime if you apply a thin film of Vaseline to the fur around the rectum and down the legs the diarrhea won’t stick to the fur and she will stay cleaner. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Kelly.