Indy To The Vet’s (the Battle Of The Loose Stools)

It’s been a very stressful week for me.  Indy has been having chronic loose stools for more than a month now. We had already had him checked at the vet’s one month ago and was advised to put him on probiotics.  He was also dewormed twice during this period.

But the loose stools continued and at the end there would be a tiny bit of blood.

The thing is, sometimes his stools would firm up a bit (but still soft) and there would be no blood. So, that gave us hope. Then, it would be back to square one.

When he went on 100% raw food, the stools did firm up, but only for a few days. Then, it was back to loose stools again. I had been monitoring him constantly, especially whenever he went to the sandpit, so that I could check his stools immediately.

Yesterday it took a turn for the worse. Indy vomited out his breakfast. I gave him small amounts of food after that and he could hold it down, but he had loose stools again. I consulted the vet and was told to monitor him for a little longer since he was still active, alert and had good appetite. He didn’t seem ill.

I had been also searching for information on the internet regarding his condition and symptoms. As always, there is so much information out there.  It could be gastroenteritis, food intolerance and a host of other things including cancer. That was very frightening.

One possibility that occurred to me is that he had been on chicken for a long time and sometimes, being on the same protein for too long can cause an allergy or food intolerance. So I tried giving him fish yesterday and he was able to hold it down. There were no loose stools. I was so happy and thought I had found the solution.

But this morning, I saw loose stools with a tiny bit of blood again.

Indy also vomited all his breakfast together with some whitish bile. Then, he asked for food again. I let him rest and gave him a tiny amount, which again, was vomited out.

He has to go to the vet’s.

I had to go to work, so my husband sent him.

Indy was examined and given an anti-vomiting and anti-protozoa injection. The vet suspects it could be a protozoa like an amoeba which Indy might have picked up from the garden. There are no major problems detected. The causes of the loose stools could be from food intolerance and/or the protozoa (maybe from the floor, water or garden). Long standing loose stools also could be due to intolerance to chicken.

For now, Indy is on an antibiotic (Clavomox) for 7 days. He also has anti-protozoa medicine for 2 days starting tomorrow since he was already given a jab for it today.

Indy has to go on Hills’ ID food for 3 weeks. The vet suggested a few days of ID wetfood to be followed by dry ID (kibble). I will discuss with the vet if it’s okay to keep him on wet ID since he does have kidney issues.

After coming home just now, I fed Indy the canned (wet) ID first before everyone else, hoping that he would be full when I feed the rest. Indy didn’t quite like the ID, but he ate some. He’s being very good about it. I did not have to force-feed him. He ate by himself, albeit reluctantly.

Indy was also very good when I converted everyone to raw food earlier on. Initially, he was reluctant, but later, he compromised and dutifully ate whatever I offered. He’s just so good.

After feeding Indy just now, everyone else asked for lunch, so I had to lock Indy in Bunny’s Room in order to feed the four of them at the pantry. I felt really bad having to do this. But it was a lesser evil than having him look at everyone eating raw food and pining for it and smelling it.

I felt horrible having to do this. I peeked at him from the pantry and he was looking and hoping that he could have what everyone else was having too.

Gosh, I felt like such a bad person. I can only hope he understands.

I only let him out after I finished washing up everything. He quickly went to the pantry and sniffed around, then he settled down.

I am so, so sorry, Indy. You need a different food for now.
(But actually, it is for 3 weeks….sobs.)

He is sleeping now.

I would have to think of a better way to make Indy feel that eating ID is a reward rather than a disadvantage. It would have helped so much if ID was tasty and if he loved it.

You’re such a good boy, Indy. Please get well soon.

Source: https://myanimalcare.org/2019/10/14/indy-to-the-vets-the-bat..

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