Expert: Jannie Balliett - 12/3/2010

Question
We just adopted a boxer from the pound. She is between 7 and 12 months old
and very underweight. She has horrible diarrhea. I have tried doing the boiled
rice with chicken stock but she did not like it. She has had 2 fecals and a parvo
test and all were negative. Vet put her on cephalexin and metronidazole just
to make sure they didn't miss something. The end of all her stools has a small
amount of fresh blood. Her attitude is great and she is slowly coming out of
her shell as she becomes comfortable with us. I just don't know if ther is more
we can be doing to fix her dirrhea issue. She loves dry and canned dog food.

Answer
And your vet didn't say what is causing the diarrhea and blood in it?

That is not acceptable.

Get a new vet to get to the bottom of this.

Start by feeding her a special sweet potato dog food (dry) for the stools and giving her stomach time to adjust.

Also, give her whole, plain yogurt (no flavors) added to dry food every time you feed her- and I hope you are feeding her a lot since she is underweight.

I am surprised your vet has not run tests and made an accurate diagnosis and that he hasn't put her on a special diet.

She needs relief from her stomach and digestive system, and the sweet potato blend dog food is the best for her. Puppy food- not adult, Feed her the high protein puppy food once her problem is resolved. No corn and no glutens in the food either- Boxers are allergic to corn and it irritates the system and damages organs for life.

She needs to stay on a high protein puppy food until she is 1 1/2 due to her underweight and previous history.

Always keep some sweet potato baby food around for diarrhea bouts during the course of her life- as it hardens stools and helps the stomach. It's a great homemade remedy. Plain yogurt should be given at least a few times a week with food for life as well. That has good bacteria necessary for a healthy digestive system-- and that goes for humans too.