Explosive diarrhea w/ my foster Gertrude

When I first got Gertrude her stools were rock solid, they eventually became normal, now three weeks into fostering her she has had diarrhea for the past two day, this morning she exploded in the kitchen, it was so nasty. Any suggestions on what to do or why all of a sudden?
I am heading up to our camp today and its wall to wall carpeting, can I diaper her?

Oh DEAR! You might want to get that checked out Donna, especially if you're heading out of town. I'd with-hold food for 24 hours (but plenty of water) and then start in on the chicken and rice. Have you got a pen to contain her (and line it with pee-pads) and not give her access to carpeted areas? Or a baby gate to keep her in a bathroom or the kitchen? I wouldn't rely on something like a diaper for this problem. Better to concentrate on the cause, rather than the result. Hope she's over it soon!

Has anything changed in her diet or is she on any medication? It could be that she ate something (in the yard, floor of the kitchen, etc) that upset her stomach. It sounds kind of bad I would see about getting her to the vet so that she doesn't dehydrate and to see what the problem is. And I agree to maybe put her on boiled chicken and rice to settle her tummy.

papaspugs wrote:Has anything changed in her diet or is she on any medication? It could be that she ate something (in the yard, floor of the kitchen, etc) that upset her stomach. It sounds kind of bad I would see about getting her to the vet so that she doesn't dehydrate and to see what the problem is. And I agree to maybe put her on boiled chicken and rice to settle her tummy.

At first I thought it was these berries that fall from one of our trees ( there not poisonous I checked ) but she has stopped eating them so I'm not sure what it could be. I mixed her food she was on when she got here with the food I feed my guys and she gradually switched to the food I feed mine.
She had ringworm but it was just a topical med she was one and its been gone for a week now.
Luckily she is crated trained so when we get to camp I can crate her but I just hate to if I don't have to, poor thing spent her whole life in one and is enjoying her freedom.
I will get her rice and chicken and see how that goes.

If it continues, I'd absolutely get it checked. It's (hopefully, if it's just a bug) a fast check at the vet. You can give a pug Immodium (my guys can have 1/2 a pill, which is 1 mg, but they both weigh over 20lbs.; I'm not sure what the weight cut off is), but I wouldn't do that until you know what you're dealing with.

I keep a supply of pills from my vet that helps firm them up. It is a big chewable tablet and they get half at a time usually by one or two doses they are back to normal.

Thanks for the suggestions, Unfortunately I could not get her in today and have to leave for camp right now. I hope it's just a bug, if not they have emergency vets up there.

Donna wrote:Thanks for the suggestions, Unfortunately I could not get her in today and have to leave for camp right now. I hope it's just a bug, if not they have emergency vets up there.

Donna - you've known me for a long time, and you know that I am not trying to be mean when I say this. And it may sound too blunt - you know I'm not always great with words. But I can't not say it, for Gertrude's sake. My concern is for the pug, and I hope you understand that's where this is coming from. It isn't a personal attack or anything of the sort.

When we make a commitment to foster a dog from rescue, we are making a commitment to see to the dog's welfare, and be sure it gets the care it needs until it finds a forever home. When the dog is in our care as a foster home, we are commited to caring for it as if it were one of our own. Or even - better than one of our own.

If we get to a point where we can't get the foster dog the care it obviously needs - even a simple vet visit - because life is busy and we have other things to do, well then we should be honest with the rescue, and with ourselves and make other arrangements for the foster. The rescue is relying on you for her care. And I know we all appreciate each and every foster home.

What I'm saying is this - You have a responsibility to Gertrude to get her to the vet. If you can't keep that responsibility due to other life stuff, then it's your responsibility to step-up and call rescue to be sure she gets the care she needs from another foster home. Or at least make the rescue aware of what's going on, and let them make the decision of how to handle.

Gertrude's health should be a priority, even if it's not convenient for you. And if you aren't able to make it a priority, then it might be better to not foster a dog. Fostering isn't for everyone, and most rescues understand that.

Please, please make arrangements to get Gertrude checked out by a vet, asap. Explosive diarrhea isn't normal or something to be taken lightly..

I have to agree with Allie on this one. The diarrhea could be just a bug, but it could also be something more serious--you never know and if it's been going on for longer than 24 hours, she needs to see a vet (and I'd take in a fecal).

She could dehydrate pretty quickly--especially given the heat and humidity here--I assume the same for you.

I do tell folks that there is no shame in deciding that fostering isn't for you--there are other ways to help rescue.

I'm here now. Will call the local vet and get her in hopefully today. Will let you know. No internet at camp have to be in town. Um on ny phone now.

Donna wrote:I'm here now. Will call the local vet and get her in hopefully today. Will let you know. No internet at camp have to be in town. Um on ny phone now.

Sounds like a good plan. Our vet also lets our fosters drop off a foster there, sometimes that's easier-that way they can examine them when they have the time instead of having our foster family wait there. I always stress even more with fosters than my own because I know what's normal with my own, I never know what the foster's story is! I hope it's nothing more than a stomach bug.

I just wanted to stop in to check on Gertrude. Hopefully the vet was able to determine what was making her sick and she is on the road to recovery. I know that Donna said that she was going to have spotty internet svc, but let us know how she is doing.

Were back home now. I was able to get her into the local vet on Thursday. After taking a sample he was not able to find a bacterial infection, after talking to him about her past few weeks, he said it could have been either her change in diet, to much protein in the new food she was switched to, I did it gradually but it still might be to much for her or she was treated for ringworm last week, could have something to do with that or these berries that she has been eating from our yard, I don't know what kind of tree it is but the berries are not poisonous, or just plain ole stress.
He recommended the rice and boiled chicken for a few days. Her poops started to improve on Friday and yesterday she had a nice firm one, so hopefully she is back to being normal.
He was such a nice guy, his office it in his house and said if I had any problems with her over the weekend just to page him and he would take another look at her.
I am still surprised she has not gotten snatched up yet, she is just a teeny tiny adorable little girl, with a tad bit of an attitude!

That is very good news, Donna.

I'm happy to hear that she's feeling better!

Thanks, so far so good, still back to normal poops and just for good measure my girl decided she did not have to wait to go outside and pooped on my newely cleaned carpet!

Donna wrote:Thanks, so far so good, still back to normal poops and just for good measure my girl decided she did not have to wait to go outside and pooped on my newely cleaned carpet!

YAY for normal poop - even on the carpet! LOL

Donna wrote:Thanks, so far so good, still back to normal poops and just for good measure my girl decided she did not have to wait to go outside and pooped on my newely cleaned carpet!

She wanted you to see her poops are better, LOL!!

Tyson&LuLu'sMom wrote:

Donna wrote:Thanks, so far so good, still back to normal poops and just for good measure my girl decided she did not have to wait to go outside and pooped on my newely cleaned carpet!

She wanted you to see her poops are better, LOL!!

No, Gertrude my foster has only had one accident in teh house since I got her three weeks ago, this was my I should know better but choose to do whatever I want Vivian!

Donna wrote:

Tyson&LuLu'sMom wrote:

Donna wrote:Thanks, so far so good, still back to normal poops and just for good measure my girl decided she did not have to wait to go outside and pooped on my newely cleaned carpet!

She wanted you to see her poops are better, LOL!!

No, Gertrude my foster has only had one accident in teh house since I got her three weeks ago, this was my I should know better but choose to do whatever I want Vivian!

Ooohh, it was Viv who pooped on the carpet. She probably wanted some attention because of the foster in your home, LOL.