OK so I got a puppy almost a month ago and after about 1 week or so he started getting diarrhea. After a few more days it started to get bloody . I have taken him to the vet and they put him on metronidazole because looking under the scope at his stool he said it looked like he had Giardia. So after 5 days of being on that and it not getting any better, I took a stool sample to the vet yesterday and they gave me more of the Metronidazole and upped the dose. Today he had to go back for his next set of puppy shots and the stool sample showed NEGATIVE for Giardia. I changed his food because the vet is no help .... I picked a better food without all the corn and by products. I just wanted to know if the food I had him on could have been the reason?

Oh ya also when I got him he was full of fleas and worms! When I took him in for his first set of puppy shots they dewormed him. Then a week later I told them about the worms I was still seeing which where Tapeworms and they gave me a pill because what they gave him would not kill those. The blood and diarrhea did not start till after all that ... Hope this helps, I really need some answer's for the poor little guy.

Dogs can have Giardia AND a negative test-they don't shed cysts in every stool, and after being on Metronidazole, it makes sense that he would have a negative test. Something you probably won't want to do, but which would be definitive is to collect every stool over a 72 hour period and have them all examined-this is really the best way to know right now if the dog has it still. Did the vet check for Coccidiosis? I see that your dog had bloody stools-often a sign of Coccidia. Again, Metronidazole is not the most effective treatment for Giardia in puppies-did you discuss using Panacur with the vet-it's much more effective for puppy Giardia (and also for most worms). Did the vet give you probiotics to re-balance his digestive system? Did the vet determine WHICH kind of tapeworm the dog had?

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Probiotics will help with his settling his tummy. Your vet can give your dog meds to help with the diarrhea , as well.

Where did the pup come from? If from a shelter or mass breeder, pet store, or a place where the puppies where kept outdoors-giardia is still a very likely possibility, as is Coccidia. Contact the breeder to ask if any other puppies in the litter have been affected, and what their diagnoses were ... it could help in diagnosing your dog.

Did the vet also check the fecal sample for Coronavirus? What about Salmonella or E. Coli? Corona is rarely vaccinated against anymore, so your dog didn't likely get the vaccine, nor did the dam. It's not very common, but it does cause diarrhea.

Last, you stated that your vet is no help-if the vet isn't as concerned as you are, I suggest seeing a different vet-constant diarrhea can kill a puppy-it's serious, no matter what the cause is.

Of you are still giving him worm pills stop. Boil him some rice and chicken and feed him this for a while, Our dogs had the same problem with commercial dog food so now we make our own food and our dogs are healthier than they ever were. There are a lot of recipies on line, Some dogs can't handle the preservatives, fillers. coloring agents and grains that are in most commercial foods.

personal experience

Any dog food that has corn as a first ingredient is a no no. A little kaopectate willhelp soothe his little tummy. The blood and diarrhea may be from the worms . Oh yes, you should never suddenly change a dogs food. Do it a little at a time. Mix a little of the new with the old and keep increasing untill it is all the new food.

A sudden change in diet can cause diarrhea. I would try putting him on a bland diet for a week or two. Try boiled chicken cut up with boiled white rice. This should help with the diarrhea. If he is still having the diarrhea and blood in the stools take him to another vet for a second opinion.

You need a new vet. Sounds like you got this poor little guy from a very poor breeder. A puppy should never have worms , loose stools or especially giardia if you bought from a decent breeder.

pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com

Please find a different vet and get a good diagnosis.

Breeder

Anytime dogs have a change in dog food their digestive systems go haywire. Not sure about the cure. VET told me to mix a little new food w/regular food and up the new food slowly.

possible
sounds like other things

no

Yes, if you change it abruptly without gently phasing it in. that is 1/4 C of the new and taking away an equal amount of the old. then increasing for the next 7 days. and yes, corn is not good for some dogs. Mine had an allergic reaction to a name brand bag of food due to the grains and corn in it. I switched it to Call of the Wild salmon flavor.