Raymond Greyhound - possible inflamatory bowel disease

[Godzilla 10]

Raymond started with an upset stomach around 10 days ago. We did the usual - starved him for a day and then put him on rice and scrambled egg for a day before gradually introducing his normal complete food. Every morning he seemed to be getting better - well-formed 'sausages', but then he would begin passing water and mucus, which got worse as the day wore on. We got him to the vets and he had to spend two days hooked up to a drip as he'd got really dehydrated, despite drinking gallons of water. We got some special tinned food i/d from the vet and some medication. Again, in the mornings he seems fine and then it all goes to pot. Mr Godzilla has been sleeping downstairs with him with the patio doors open and last night Raymond went out at least six times to 'squirt' on the garden. Back to the vet's today and a change of medication. Vet says it may be trial and error before we come up with a combination of diet and medication to control his symptoms. Has anyone else managed this condition successfully? Poor Ray is a shadow of his former self - and he was always a little gaunt. He seems reasonably happy (despite his characteristic morose expression) and his fondness for food is undiminished. Tips please.

[LesleyB 10]

Questions : how old is Raymond and has this ever happened before? Any idea if he may have eaten something that is/has aggravated his gut? Could he have done this without you knowing and has the vet x-rayed him?

 

Try not to worry too much. I had a problem with my cat Precious in the early stages until I understood her problems. I now use a combination of Royal Canin Hypoallergenic and boiled chicken or turkey. I'm considering swapping to Royal Canin Sensitivity Control. Both of these are only available from the vet.

 

You could look at what they supply for dogs. When Precious has been bad in the past I have used a strict diet of boiled chicken only for up to a week to get her tum to settle.

 

I have noticed is that Precious can pass firm ones one day and then soft to very soft the next, without change of diet. I think sometimes this is due to stress of 'defending' her territory against other cats and squirrels. I definitely think her stress response goes to her intestines.

 

So is there a new dog in the neighbourhood or anything new in his environment that could cause this as a stress response? Remember it's not what might stress you but what might stress him.

 

Good luck

 

L.

[katkin 10]

Sorry to hear about raymond's condition.

 

Don't know if this is similar, but we had to rush Ailsa to the vets late last year with nasty prolongued projectile diarrorhea and dehydration (seemed like a bit of a tummy upset at first during the night but didnt improve over a few hours and it we rushed her to the vets as soon as it opened as she was very shaky and clearly distressed)

 

Since then, she's had the condition again a couple of times but not quite so bad- still nasty and unpleasant though, either after drinking seawater at the seaside (cant stop her, she gets too excited and HAS to paddle and once she's in there she sneakily gulps seawater), or eating dodgy dried pig's ears we got from the cheap 'pound' type shop (never again).

 

She's always had a dickie tummy anyway, so we give her Burns dried food and Nature Diet or Nature's Menu hypoallergenic wet food becaue sher efuses to eat dried food alone (are you getting the impresion she is a dramaqueen fussy doberman yet?) [because she is], but each time she's had this problem, it's been so bad she could barely stand up and her pooh literally came flying out like water.

 

Now, I imagine a big sturdy muscled dobe can deal with the dehydration a lot better than a naturally skinny greyhound, but it's pretty awful for Ailsa so must be hell for poor Raymond.

 

Cant remember exactly what the vets called the condition but one of the things we were given to deal with it was electrolytes (the white powder you mix in a little warm water and either add to the derinking water or give to your dog orally in a syringe). This helps the gut to beging to develop 'friendly bacteria' again - oh and she gets a little live yoghurt in her food too.

[Godzilla 10]

Thanks LelseyB and Katkin for your replies. Raymond will be 10 in January. He's had a few digestive problems in the past, but nothing like this. The whole episode has played havoc with his waterworks. Back from his walk this evening - two big wee's - and then within ten minutes of getting into the house he's made a puddle on the hall carpet. My turn to sleep with him downstairs tonight. Hoping the new medication and new food will see him improved.

[katkin 10]

all the best, poor lad. You sound just as soft as we are with our pets- when Ailsa was il we took it in turns to sleep downstairs with her and weve done it with the cats at various stages too. Hoping his meds settle soon and he gets bac kto normal. It is a pain when they have tummy trouble anyway, poor baby.

[Godzilla 10]

Raymond had a pretty good night, but then when I let him up the stairs he made a puddle in the hall again. He seems to be adapting to the new food. Keeping my fingers crossed.

[Godzilla 10]

Raymond is now on Hills Prescription w/d diet, but although it's helping with the elimination problems, he's really losing weight and looks almost skeletal. We've upped the vet's recommended amount, but he's a shadow of his former self. My turn to sleep with him downstairs tonight.

[Godzilla 10]

Update!

 

Mr Godzilla and I are still taking it in turns to sleep downstairs with Raymond, but the good news is that he has stopped losing weight and is putting on a few ounces each day. He's perked up quite a bit too. He's had a couple of nights where he's only nipped out onto the lawn once. My turn on the sofa-bed tonight!

[Moonbird 10]

Poor Raymond, greyhounds don't have that much fat to lose do they, I bet he is so sorry for himself most greyhounds are such big wimps

I hope that he is now on the mend and that a good nights sleep will soon be had once again for all the inhabitants of the Godzilla household

[katkin 10]

Glad to hear he's perking up and hopefully on the mend. Keep fighting, raymond.

[Meter Man 15]

has the vet perscribed any anti biotics for ramond ?. my retriever had simular symptoms, and the vet gave her some a.b.&told us it was proberly somethimg in her food that didnt agree with her so i have changed her food and she seems fine now,the vet said it was colitis if you type that in on search on internet explorer you could see if the symtoms look the same hope this helps

[Godzilla 10]

Raymond is on something called Sulphasalazine 500mg which we put into his food twice a day. Mr Godzilla is in Japan this week, but once he is back we will be looking at maybe introducing his normal food back into his diet. He was originally on the James Welbeloved Lamb and Rice kibble designed for Senior dogs.

 

Thanks for everyone's interest and good wishes.