Why is my senior dog still having diarrhea and shivering on meds?

I'm sorry to hear that Henry is not feeling well! It's hard to see your pet sick! It's great that you're seeing improvement in Henry's energy level and that he has stopped vomiting. It can take several days for the diarrhea to resolve. Continuing to feed a bland diet may help and finishing out the course of metronidazole is always recommended. If Henry's diarrhea persists even after the metronidazole is finished or if you feel he is getting worse again, I would recommend having your veterinarian exam Henry again to determine what might be going on.

No, do not stop Shelby's meds without speaking to her vet first. This diarrhea could be caused by a GI illness not her medication, and the vet might want to see her to give her medications to help with the diarrhea. Given that she has been having diarrhea for three days and isn't eating, she needs to see a vet today. Give your vet a call and bring her in to see the vet.

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.

It sounds like she needs to be examined and treated by a vet right away. She may be getting dehydrated and need some fluids, either subcutaneously or intravenously. Your vet can also run some blood work and other tests to help determine the cause and evaluated the function of all her organs. It is very concerning that she is not eating and is very weak. I don't think this is something that should be treated at home with OTC medications. If she has a gum infection then she may need an antibiotic to treat the infection. Call your vet or take her to an emergency clinic for treatment. Hope she feels better soon!

These signs could be compatible with a colitis, which is an inflammation of the last part of the colon, usually related to dietary indiscretion. As a first approach, I would suggest to start feeding with a bland diet based on boiled chicken and rice in small portion every 6 hours for the following 48hours. Then gradually reintroduce the normal diet over 5 days. I would definitively recommend a veterinary check up if the signs persist or you notice vomiting, lethargy or inappetence. 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. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

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.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Meeko! I would watch him. Antibiotics can cause tummy upset that can manifest as belly pain (shivering can be a sign of pain, like cramping), diarrhea and vomiting. He likely had to go to the bathroom as abnormal stool can cause urgency and that is why he was shivering then it stopped after he went. If loose stool persists talk to your Vet about adding in medications like a probiotic, metronidazole or even a special diet. I wish you the best!