need help with tummy issues

[maymay]

Starfox and I came home to my parents house for the week. We have been here since friday and EVERY day since then Starfox has had bad poo. And I mean bad like liquid bad, need a wash every time he goes. Now I am pretty sure this is because he is so anxious here. I notice that when he is here, even though he knows this house, he is always barking and running around at the slightest noises. He is not used to all the different noises here and he is just always on his guard it seems. He is also always very excited at home. He goes to sleep late because he likes to be up and around all the people and dogs and wakes up early so he can play with whoever else is up. He is always excited or anxious it seems to me and I think that this is what is causing his bad poop (I assume this is the cause because well...when humans get like that they get bad poop too. and his diet hasn't changed at all since coming home). I am not sure what to do about it especially since we are moving when I get back to school and I am worried about how his tummy and poop will be in the new house with all the changes... I was thinking of trying rescue remedy (i think that is what it's called) but I have never used it before and am not too sure about it. What do you guys think??? If there are any other suggestions they are very very appreciated. I am at such a loss as to what to do about this, and it must be hard on the poor guy to always be so anxious. On top of that he already is a nervous dog and I feel bad if he is nervous in his own house where he should be able to fully relax. any suggestions would be great! thanx everyone.

[Kassie]

I have used rescue remedy many times with stressed dogs and cats. You can just keep a few drops in their water bowl, or put a drop on their nose, where they will lick it off.

[CorgiMum]

It might be a change in the water he is drinking, that really effects some dogs. It sounds like he may be too busy with all the excitement as well and stressed out as you mentioned. Is he crate trained? He might be feeling better if he were on somewhat more of a regular routine as he usually is.

[maymay]

The water where my parent's live is hard water and the water where i go to school is soft water...so it could be that too. I know that whenever we go to the river and he drinks the river water he gets bad poop too. whenever he comes to my parents his poo always goes softer, but this week has been the worse it has ever been...and he also seems more anxious this week than he normally is when he is at my parents.

he is not crate trained but we are actually working on that. he used to use a crate when he was small but once he was bigger Starfox had his own little den at the back of my closet at my old house which pretty much acted as a stationary crate but now that we are moving he won't have that anymore and I wanted to reintroduce him to his crate (which he loved when he was small)

his routine at my parents is completely different from when i am in school and i am sure that has also affected him. and I know this is no excuse but it isn't easy for me to keep the same routine here at my parents. He eats at the same times and goes out to do his business at the same times but besides that everything else is different.

i am not sure whether i should try the rescue remedy with him or not. I am pretty sure it is the stress that is causing it but in he end that is still just my guess and I don't want to give it to him unnecessarily.

[Penutsma]

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned the pumpkin remedy! Look back at some of the other threads by searching for "pumpkin". It worked for Delilah during some of our stressful changes.

[maymay]

pumpkin has worked wonders for Starfox in the past (thanks to the many post here about it :SMILE:) as he has a very sensitive tummy. The thing is pumpkin is already part of Starfox's every meal...should I add more???? Right now he gets pellets, a rounded teaspoon of ground meat (at dinner only), a heaping table spoon of rice and pumpkin, and a normal table spoon of plain, no fat yogurt. oh and his pellets is nutram for sensitive stomachs and sometimes he gets a few slices of carrots in his dinner.

[gogogiraffes]

pumpkin has worked wonders for Starfox in the past (thanks to the many post here about it :SMILE:) as he has a very sensitive tummy. The thing is pumpkin is already part of Starfox's every meal...should I add more???? Right now he gets pellets, a rounded teaspoon of ground meat (at dinner only), a heaping table spoon of rice and pumpkin, and a normal table spoon of plain, no fat yogurt. oh and his pellets is nutram for sensitive stomachs and sometimes he gets a few slices of carrots in his dinner.

Man that sounds like a nice dinner!
The pumpkin helped Gizmo with his Giardia, only because he was going 6 times in one sitting.. +SAD+


Maybe if you put the crate in the corner of your closet, if you're still there with some good smelling stuff?

[CorgiMum]

The water where my parent's live is hard water and the water where i go to school is soft water...so it could be that too. I know that whenever we go to the river and he drinks the river water he gets bad poop too.
When we go camping I take along a large bottle of the water from our tap at home. If we are going to be away longer than the water from home can last, after a couple a of days I start to mix it with the water where we are, Mine have never had a tummy issues about it, can't say that it worked, but it certainly didn't hurt.

he is not crate trained but we are actually working on that. he used to use a crate when he was small

I wanted to reintroduce him to his crate (which he loved when he was small)

Good for you! Situations like traveling and visiting certainly can make our dogs more comfortable if they have their very own 'den' with them. Some take along the dog's 'place' towel or sleeping pad to make them more comfortable away from home, that way they will at the very least have a 'spot of their own'. IMO a kennel is still the best though for a lengthly time away from home.


He eats at the same times and goes out to do his business at the same times but besides that everything else is different.
That's great, it's a very important part of his routine that you have kept up for him.

[Jespah]

I would stay awayfrom the rescue remedy for this situation. I agree with Barbara on the water, and his routine. He will get used to coming home and the new smells, activities and people and will look forward to it.

His runny poop could even be excitement poop - that's what I call it with mine. When they are at the cottage, or at the lake the first few times they have the same issue.

I don't think increasing the pumpkin will help.

Good luck!

Deb

[Fluffypants]

I am another one who thinks the water could be to blame. Jackie has a sensitive tummy, and would always have problems when we travelled away from home. But since I learned on here that water can cause tummy issues, I now always bring bottled water with us, or buy it at the store when we get where we are going, and *knock wood* we have not had those troubles since. Run out to the store and buy a jug of bottled water, and I bet you will see an improvement. Good luck!

[jeepgal]

I also agree about the water. Whenever we went camping, by the 2nd or 3rd day both of our dogs had soft poo. I didn't put the two things together until I read it on the forums. Since then I have brought water from home (we have well water) and haven't had an issue since. If I run out of water, I buy bottled for them.

Good luck figuring it out.

Tami