My Doggie

[BRUMI1968]

Okay. So a couple days ago my dog gets this crazy projectile pooping situation he's none too happy with (and neither were we). He's pretty lazy, but it's also hot, so it's hard to say if he's lethargic due to 80 degree sunshine, or to not feeling well.

So, we fast him for 24 hours, though he usually only eats once a day anyway, and then we only feed him a couple small boiled red potatoes and a tiny bit of chicken. (I forgot to say that when he had liqui-poo, it had rice in it. I'm pretty sure the rice in it was actually rice and not worms, because I almost never feed him rice but had fed him rice the day before.) Next day, slightly firmed up, but still very yellow and weird...and horrible smelling. Also horrible smelling gas.

So, here's the weird part. We're walking around the house and keep smelling this odd smell, like burning rubber a little bit. We can't find the cause, and finally settle down to watch a movie (the Miles Davis Story). My partner goes out to go pee and when he comes back, says he smells the smell in the room we're in. So I sniff the dog's rear end. Holy moly. Not a fart, but his bottom smells WEIRD - like burning rubber almonds. I actually got up and googled arsenic it smelled so weird.

Any ideas? (He's still not right today...)

Other symptoms: his skin on his tummy/inner thighs has turned dark dark black.

[BRUMI1968]

I forgot to mention what he normally eats, and if he ate anything weird.

He normally eats cooked lamb w/ its innards...and sometimes a bit of veggies tossed in there. i think the day before he had his blow out he had lamb and RICE (brown sweet rice slightly overcooked) and zucchini, all of it cooked.

He used to eat raw food, but his breath has been smelling really awful for a spell - like REALLY awful, like what we call Poop Pennies - very metallic. when we switched to cooking the raw food, it got better temporarily, but then got bad again.

I'm frustrated becuase I try to hard to give him the right food. Our last dog died of cancer and I vowed to do my best to keep cancer from this dog's life - so he eats mostly human grade food, either raw or cooked, depending on what he's liking or tolerating. I think raw is probably the best way to go.

Anyway, sorry to blather, but suddenly realized I hadn't mentioned food.

He is not a dog who typically eats things that aren't "edible".

One others symptom: he likes to eat the detris of a cedar or douglas fir tree rotting.

[2kids4me]

The skin turning black is called hyperpigmentation and has numerous causes and should be investigated, especially if you have noted a significant change.

What breed is he? Is he neutered, and how old is he?

The reason I ask is that an un-neutered male can have "butt related" issues not seen in a neutered male.

Does he have history of anal sacs plugging up? An anal sac that has thick material that collects and is not expressed can develop an abscess of the galnd whcih may not be visible to the outside - it would cause a very unpleasant odou.

Dont know what to say about eating the debris from a tree - the only time we see problems is when animals eat treated wood products (the shavings form treated wood). I could see this as a cause digestive upset though - just from the fact that the bits of rotted wood have to travel through the gut and are not digestible.

I would suggest a vet examine the dog for the hyperpigmentation even if the smell goes away.

Sandy

[Karen B.]

I'd get the dog to the vet ASAP. This doesn't sound like something I'd be willing to do a DIY diagnosis on. There could be other key symptoms that a vet would catch that you might not like glandular issue, kidney problems, bowel obstruction.

[tiredofdoctors]

Don't know much about veterinary stuff, but, unfortunately am an EXPERT about our teacup poodle's anal sacs getting plugged. Oh, my goodness. YUCK. The vet says that the "musky" smell really bothers some people. MUSKY????? That's the last thing I call it. It is totally disgusting. I have had to learn to express them myself because it happens so often. It is enough to make you gag.

[2kids4me]

Just to let you know - it doesnt sound like a bowel obstruction - they are urgent and present with anorexia, vomiting and either diarrhea or constipation, and a tender rigid abdomen.

But I will emphasize that a vet should do a work up on this pet. The hyperpigmentation of the flank and abdomen are characteristic of underlying metabolic disturbances in most animals. The only consideration is breed and and age. Many breeds naturally "darken" during the adolescent phase when maturation begins, also has to do with haircoat color. These factors are best discussed with someone who can examine the dog and see what the skin is like in the area that is pigmented - thin skin or thickening of the epidermis all give clues ot the vet.

The unusual odour to the breath as well as the back end may be part of an underlying condition or a separate problem altogether. Animals are like people too - not always a "textbook presentation" and they can have 2 co-existing conditions. The other consideration for animals is parasites - which vary according to geographic location and a vet in the area would be aware and up to date on the types of external or internal parasites in your area. Ticks and fleas can transmit disease to pets.

Let us know what you find out.

Sandy

* I wouldnt call it "musky" either! We have to open doors and dispose of the garbage pronto from an exam room where anal sacs have just been emptied. We have drained abscesses that dont come close to the smell of a"ripe anal sac"!!!

[BRUMI1968]

Thanks guys. We leave for the vet in about 20 minutes (it's five minutes away) -- and I even collected his scary dookies this morning, so they'll have something to fish around in. Fun stuff.

[BRUMI1968]

Well, got his poop results back - nothing too strange. No parasites other than TINY amount of toxocera canis, or something like that (will get medicine); but doc does not think it's likely that's causing symptoms - more likely that is in the background. No to giardia.

Blood results don't come back until tomorrow.

He also said he had LOTS for bacteria in his stool, but there was a good mix - none being overly dominant and that is what he'd expect to see. No red or white blood cells in the stool.

No temperature. No swollen lymph nodes. No heart murmur (sometimes has the faintest of heart murmurs). Looked fine for the most part.

So far, just like me, gets a clean bill of health despite the fact that he feels terrible. Hopefully the blood will give a clue.

My idea for now is to fast him today (if he doesn't go on his walk) or feed him tiny amount of sweet potato and lamb (unless that continues the gas, then try something else).

Also, I'm expecting this stuff to come in the mail called Gastriplex which has probiotics, DGL (licorice), slippery elm, lactobacillus sporongenes, gluamine, saccharomyces boulardii (beneficial yeast), glucosamine, and quercitin. Hopefully this will help get him back into balance.

I'll let you guys know on the blood. Poor doggie, he can't even type on the celiac board and tell all about his terrible gas and D.

[DingoGirl]

Don't know much about veterinary stuff, but, unfortunately am an EXPERT about our teacup poodle's anal sacs getting plugged. Oh, my goodness. YUCK. The vet says that the "musky" smell really bothers some people. MUSKY????? That's the last thing I call it. It is totally disgusting. I have had to learn to express them myself because it happens so often. It is enough to make you gag.

oh my gaaaaaaaaaaaaawd.......there is no smell like it on earth - - - musky? that's a nice way of putting it! But I don't remember any smell coming off my dog when her glands are full......not until we get into the office, anyway, and they EXPRESS them......

* I wouldnt call it "musky" either! We have to open doors and dispose of the garbage pronto from an exam room where anal sacs have just been emptied. We have drained abscesses that dont come close to the smell of a"ripe anal sac"!!!

Sandy - - - those of you who do this job are VEEEEEEERY brave!!!!

Anywho Bully4you, let us know how your doggie is doing and what the blood tests show. My girls send licks and kisses.

[BRUMI1968]

My old dog would expel her own, whenever she got nervous IN THE CAR! My word! My little Emmett, now he's never had a problem with them for some reason, lucky us.

Man, there is nothing like that. Though these farts he's having, they smell nothing like it, but I'm telling you we watched a two hour movie last night and the room smelled the entire time -- it was either the longest lasting evil smell, or a constant leaking from him. We should sell it to the military.

Anyway, I'll keep you all posted.

[BRUMI1968]

Well, the vet called and of course, just like me, there's really nothing wrong with Emmett clinically speaking. Don't get me wrong - I'm glad. But you know how it is to finally "know" what's wrong - it's a relief. I guess in a way it supports my thoughts that his gut has just gotten out of balance and he is sensitive to yeasty-beasties and bacteria right now.

So, with no obvious signs of inflammation/infection, and no indication we have something outside the digestive tract going on, the vet thinks we need to change what's in his gut - we agree on that. So I'm starting him on these probiotics when they arrive UPS (described in previous post).

The vet also wants to put him on Science Diet ZD food, for doggies with alleriges. This seems like a real step backward to me, since what Emmett eats is already super simple, and ins't dry dog food. This science diet stuff may well keep dogs from experiencing itchy skin and the like, but its ingredients are inumpressive: "starch", "iodized salt", "powdered cellulose". How can that be better for him than lamb and sweet potato or beef and squash or something?

So I'm going to try to repair his gut with pre and pro biotics, and maybe take him off the LAMB he has been eating to see if that's it. Maybe I'll add in some white fish as a protein source. He hates turkey in all forms, and only likes chicken cooked...he just seems healthier on the raw food, but I'm limited then in what types (lamb if it's okay, beef, and the expensive ones: rabbit, ostrich, buffalo, etc.) I guess I'll figure out some system and stick to it.

Sometimes it's tempting to go back to dry dog food because it is so easy - but I don't think I can bring myself to do it.

I'll keep you all posted. If you have any other ideas about fixing up the poop shoot of a slightly off kilter person or dog (often the same cures), please let me know. Until then, he's on the potato and beef at half quantity. hey, do you think over feeding can lead to these bacteria build ups and good flora breakdowns? Thanks.

[2kids4me]

You can try pumpkin. Canned pumpkin with no other stuff added, the pumpkim pie filling is NOT what you want as it has sugar etc.

It helps both diarrhea and constipation, many dogs like it. It has fiber and other good things fora healthy gut. About 2- 3 tablespoons with his food daily. See if it helps.

Sandy