Senior Boxer with chronic diarrhea

[Lizrd]

Wonderful 12 year old Boxer girl. Spry and happy, maintaining weight and happy as a clam. We have been trying to do something about chronic diarrhea for a few months. She has always had good poop her entire life. I gave her a few days of generic rimadyl and I am convinced that is what triggered this. At any rate I am looking for other possible ideas or meds to throw her way. Had bloodwork and abdominal ultrasound and thankfully everything there was as normal as can be. She is under the care of an expert internist however I feel like perhaps he is running out of ideas. We have done 3 months of metranidazole which got the poop to stack/cow pie just slightly. We have done 3 months of Baytril, which really didn’t seem to do anything for her. Her current regime is suggested by her vet - and I am not doubting him - but know that horse people sometimes have some clever off-label ideas. BTW we are beyond the “rice and chicken” or “try some pumpkin” stages. She is not struggling with it being hard to control or spasmodic - she poops right on schedule in the AM and PM after meals. Her housemate is just fine and she is not getting into anything toxic or questionable.

low fat ID kibble and canned pate and stew
Metamucil
tylan powder
visbiome veterinary probiotic
B-12 injections once weekly

She also gets heart meds (sotalol), duralactin, and dasaquin. I just got her metranidazole refilled because she seemed a bit better on that than baytril We had her off of everything (including rimadyl) except for tylan powder and probiotics for a week - just in case she was overdoing things - but her poop turned right back to really watery and not stacking at all. At this point I’d be thrilled to get toothpaste or soft serve rather than pancake puddles in the yard. Poor thing! It does not seem to slow her down or impact her in anyway. She goes and then runs around acting like a nut the rest of the day. Activity is good, eyes are bright, mobility is great for her age.

Any ideas? Do you think we just have chronic colitis at this point? I know that Boxers can be sensitive - she is our 5th but the first one that has had digestive concerns like this. For the record, we rescued her at 5. We were her THIRD family because she is a sassy, bossy, bitch but she is in love with my hubby and has our juvenile male Boxer right where she wants him - submissive and in check. Her confidence level is very high. She is the kind of gal that lifts her leg on walks and pees over the top of where her housemate pees, just to remind him who is in charge.

[Simkie]

Did you ever try treating her for gastric ulcers? It’s certainly worth a shot given that it started when you added an NSAID.

[Lizrd]

@Simkie

Did you ever try treating her for gastric ulcers? It’s certainly worth a shot given that it started when you added an NSAID.

Ah, my post was a bit confusing. She had been on Rimadyl for a year or two, then I used the online pharmacy and they sent me the generic form. That’s when the trouble began and I haven’t been able to get her right since. I will ask about ulcers though. I’m guessing that would be sucrulfate or something similar. Sometimes it is easier to just do a protocol for something if its not going to hurt her to try it. She does not exhibit signs of nausea - although she does not like the way metemeucil gets slimy at the bottom of her supper dish and often will leave the last few gluey kibbles for her housemate to clean up.

[just_plain_bob]

duralactin is dairy based
perhaps lactose problems
wellactin is the better option
and try some pepto
had numerous boxers
good luck

[chestnutmarebeware]

A couple of (probably useless) thoughts from someone who’s had both a cat and a senior horse with chronic diarrhea, but not a dog.

Could it be a new food allergy? My cat is so sensitive that I’ve only found one alternate protein food that mostly keeps her doing well, although it only takes her stealing a bite of my other senior cat’s canned food to undo the progress and lead to her having almost no bowel control. Thankfully it clears back up in a day or two if I can keep her away from what she’d prefer to eat.

With the 30-year-old horse, we tried BioSponge (don’t know if it can be used on dogs) with some results, but his condition ultimately lowered his quality of life after about 6 months and we sadly let him go. The vet did tell us that untreatable diarrhea like this in horses was almost always a side effect of cancer.

I know you said you had an ultrasound done, but I’ve also had a dog with a ultrasound that showed nothing of the bladder cancer that ended up killing her until it was farther along because it was enough to cause symptoms but not yet advanced enough to be detected (at least by a general-practice vet).

It sounds like your guy is doing well, all things considered, and I’m jingling that this continues!

[OzarksRider]

Ask your vet if you can give your dog Imodium. I had a 14 year-old lab that developed chronic, intractable diarrhea and Imodium definitely helped. His stools went from runny to very soft but formed. I was never able to wean him off the Imodium, but at his age I was just trying to keep him comfortable.

In addition to its antibiotic properties metronidazole has an anti-inflammatory effect on the gut, and that’s probably why your dog responds better to it. Also keep in mind that some antibiotics can cause diarrhea, because they disrupt the normal intestinal flora. I don’t know if Baytril can worsen diarrhea, but it’s something to keep in mind.

[Simkie]

Yeah, I’ve had enough pets with mystery issues come right with a round of famotidine that I’d absolutely try it here. Sure won’t hurt. They also all ate well, too.

[Lizrd]

Thank you, everyone. Yes, I am wondering if some Imodium might help. I’ll inquire. I DO think that we need another ultrasound. It has been about 6 months and in elderly Boxers lots of things can crop up in that period. I appreciate you all taking a moment to reply - she’s such a good girl! I want to keep her as happy and healthy as possible.

[Kyrabee]

Baytril is a fluoroquinolone and they are broad spectrum which is going to affect nearly all the gut flora. I would stick with the metronidazole unless there is an identified bacteria that is only sensitive to Baytril. My guess is that with all the heavy duty antibiotics, something has overgrown.

Aren’t these puzzles fun? NOT

Jingles for old lady Boxer…she sounds like a hoot.

Susan