Chronic Diarrhea and Fur Loss

[Allieswish]

Marco is a 2-3 year-old GSD with chronic diarrhea. He also has "dandruff" and is losing lots of fur. I got him 3 months ago from my neighbor. Marco was tied outside and fed scraps. I constantly told them to feed him more and take him to the vet. Finally, they just gave him to me. I took him to the vet: got all of his shots, started him on metronidazole and Science Diet I/D. Things improved slightly, and then regressed when we finished the metronidazole. So started with the metronidazole again, but this time it did not work. He started losing weight, fur, and developed the excessive dandruff. The vet did blood work, tested for parasites: no parasites or infection found. So we wormed him again anyway. No improvement, so we tested for giardia and EPI. Those tests came back negative as well. We switched Marco to Science Diet Z/D and sulfasalazine. He is eating with no problem and has great energy and a wonderful, playful personality. He is just not putting on any weight, has constant diarrhea, and his skin is not improving. At this rate, I fear he will be bald and malnourished. The next step is endoscopy but my vet bill is already sky high, and the procedure is very expensive.  From my understanding, the procedure will just tell us the name of his problem, but we will still have trial and error to find the right treatment. Has anyone gone through this? What did you do with your dog that worked?

[DW]

Hello

I have no experience with GSD's but I did know someone that had a GSD who suffered the same symptoms and he had pancreatitis/EPI
and was lacking in certain Vitamins and minerals - absorption problems.
remembering back, that dog was always hungry but suffered really bad loose stools and he had a poor, thinning coat.  It took her a long long time to sort it out - I think she had to be on meds for a long time and may still be on them but she did get it sorted.  I know one food she did well with was Sensitivity (R & C) which is the food I use with my dog that has Colitis.
If pancreatitis  has been ruled out i wonder if any benefit could be gained from trying a home-cooked diet initially.  Kedgeree (Rice/White Fish)Egg)
or Potato/Fish (as some dogs don't cope with rice all that well......

There are other complete meals available, such as R.C. Gastro intestinal ?    Another good thing to keep in stock is Dorwests tree Bark Powder, which can be fed long-term and is very palatable mixed with food or on it's own.  It can aid weight gain too.

I hope he gets sorted for you....sounds as though he is in a lovely home now..


Gwyneth

[Allieswish]

Thanks for the response. I took Marco back to the vet and we will try using a new antibiotic, then switching his food slowly! I will keep working on a solution.

[Jo CIMDA]

Hi

This sort of problem is so frustrating and it is so good of you to take on Marco. He's a lucky lad to have you. Has your vet considered a condition called SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth) or it can be, more recently described as ARD (Antibiotic Responsive Diarrhoea).  GSD's are known to be predisposed.  The clinical signs are as you describe.  I won't list them here but check out this website,

http://www.gsdhelp.info/gastro/sibo.html

If funds are tight, and the clinical signs fit SIBO then perhaps your vet would treat speculatively with a different antibiotic such as oxytetracycline (this is the antibiotic of first choice because it is generally effective, has a broad  spectrum of activity and it is low cost),  tylosin or amoxicillin.  Metronidazole can be affective but the others may have a better result.  Vets treat speculatively every day.  It is a big part of veterinary medicine and you might fine that extensive, expensive tests on Marco might not be necessary.

IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease) sometimes overlaps SIBO, and Lymphoplasmatic Enteritis may be another one to consider.

Wish you luck

Jo