Trixie Has Tcc And Runny/Soft Stools - Diet Advice Please?

Trix was diagnosed on July 31st. She's 16 and weighs 8kg. Since then I have cut carbs from her diet - giving her white fish or chicken breast. Not ideal I know but she'd had 2 anaesthetics on 2 consecutive days for x-rays and tests at 2 different vets, and was reluctant toeat ANYthing for a good week after that. It was a case of giving her what ever she was happy or willing to eat.

Before her carb free diet she was on IAMS Light [lime green bag here in the UK] and never had any probs with her stools - they were always good and firm.

She's been on piroxicam [on and off as we had to stop when her stools became dark and soft] however her stools have remained soft and a bright mustard colour without her having ANY piroxicam for 3 days.

Yesterday she was started on cytotec [as the antepsin she was taking to protect her gut from the piroxicam was suspected as a possible cause of these loose motions] could that [cytotec] upset her system? My aim is to give her piroxicam [2.5mg] every OTHER day for a few weeks then increase it to daily.

Last night she had her second dose of cyto AND her first piroxicam for 4 days and I was praying she'd have a solid poop today but no :( Her meal last night was half a large chicken breast, about 10 pasta twists and 10 of her Iams pellets. I want to avoid carbs obviously but I'm thinking that getting her back onto the Iams and THEN gradually switching her over to HILLS n/d canned food [my prefered diet goal for Trix] might be my best bet, that's going to take time of course and I'm not happy about putting carbs into her at all, but what else can I do?

 I'd really appreciate any advice about how to get around this problem.

Thanks, Jaq

 

Hi Jaq!

I'm sorry to hear things are so stressful for poor Trixie!  The poor gal has gone through so much these past few weeks.

My experiences have been different then yours, so I can only tell you what has worked for me. Mostly, I just want you to know that you are not in this alone.

I STRONGLY believe in the piroxicam and think it is what has kept my Annie around for so long.  Just recently she has started to breath heavily and none of her vets had any idea why. When I read here on the board that it caused some dogs to pant, I was so surprised.  Prior to that the only reaction I had heard of was upset--sometimes very--stomachs.

At any rate, perhaps there is too much change too fast for poor Trixie at this age.  My opinion is that the carbs are less dangerous than the piroxicam is good.  I hate to see her diet  changed around again (and it is also so important that she eat--anything is better than not eating) But suppose you go back to her regular dog food (perhaps with the chicken breast added a bit) and try introducing the piroxicam again.

Because I have two dogs, I have always hand fed Annie her piroxicam and to make sure she ate it promptly, i would melt a cheese stick in the microwave and make it soft and warm and then wrap the capsule in that.  Annie thinks it's a treat and the other dog gets a bit of just cheese as well. They think it's dessert!! (Oh that's the other thing, I feed the piroxicam at night after dinner--Again it's what has worked for us)

Good luck; I hope others post soon with their thoughts.

Marty 

 

 

On 8/15/2007 trixiesmum wrote:

Trix was diagnosed on July 31st. She's 16 and weighs 8kg. Since then I have cut carbs from her diet - giving her white fish or chicken breast. Not ideal I know but she'd had 2 anaesthetics on 2 consecutive days for x-rays and tests at 2 different vets, and was reluctant toeat ANYthing for a good week after that. It was a case of giving her what ever she was happy or willing to eat.

Before her carb free diet she was on IAMS Light [lime green bag here in the UK] and never had any probs with her stools - they were always good and firm.

She's been on piroxicam [on and off as we had to stop when her stools became dark and soft] however her stools have remained soft and a bright mustard colour without her having ANY piroxicam for 3 days.

Yesterday she was started on cytotec [as the antepsin she was taking to protect her gut from the piroxicam was suspected as a possible cause of these loose motions] could that [cytotec] upset her system? My aim is to give her piroxicam [2.5mg] every OTHER day for a few weeks then increase it to daily.

Last night she had her second dose of cyto AND her first piroxicam for 4 days and I was praying she'd have a solid poop today but no :( Her meal last night was half a large chicken breast, about 10 pasta twists and 10 of her Iams pellets. I want to avoid carbs obviously but I'm thinking that getting her back onto the Iams and THEN gradually switching her over to HILLS n/d canned food [my prefered diet goal for Trix] might be my best bet, that's going to take time of course and I'm not happy about putting carbs into her at all, but what else can I do?

 I'd really appreciate any advice about how to get around this problem.

Thanks, Jaq

 

If it were me, I would go back to her old food first then wean her onto a lower carb like Hill's gradually. There are products and medications that may help you get her gut working well again also, although I'm in the States and you're in the UK, correct?, so I'm not sure of the availability. One product is Prozyme. It is a digestive enzyme supplement, a white powder you sprinkle on food in a very small amount which dissolves easily. It can really help firm up stools. I get it online from a U.S. firm, KV Vet Supply (http://www.kvvet.com ). The medication is an inexpensive prescription one called metronidazole. It restores the intestinal flora after they have been upset by stress, antibiotics, rapid diet change, etc. They have to take a 10-day or so course of it. Of course, good old yogurt can also help the intestinal flora.

If I were going to feed exclusively something like Hill's n/d, I would personally find a way to get some fiber in the form of good antioxidant vegetables into the diet as well. Canned pumpkin can be good for this, and a lot of dogs really like it. My Sam loves carrots cooked in chicken broth and then mashed/pureed and mixed in his food. 

 

Forgot to mention something our vet feels is crucial with piroxicam to protect the stomach and intestines from ulceration. Sam is getting pepcid and metoclopramide (another inexpensive prescription which prevents stomach upset) twice a day. He has a history of both upset stomach (turns out he was grain-sensitive so the only starchy carb in his food now is a little potato in his dry kibble formulas), and IBS-like symptoms, both of which have not shown up at all since he started piroxicam about a month ago, with the stomach-calming and acid-calming meds.

Hill's also makes Canine w/d. I am currently using it and and is designed to make the stool firm. You may also want to try either brown or white rice. Either of these items should work. Good luck.

Thanks to all who replied and offered some great advice, I'll look into all meds suggested and keep for future reference. The great news on Trix however is that after a 24 hour fast, and after consuming poached cod and pasta for the following 24 hours [1 small meal and the 2nd slightly larger - preceeded by some ANTEPSIN 1 hour before each meal] Trix produced a solid, firm, very normal looking POOP!!! It was 2:45am this morning and I ran out to inspect said stool and found to my complete delight that her upset tummy was gone!

I'd tried the 24 hr fast followed by bland food last week [when her tummy was upset] but it didn't help on that occassion - I think she'd caught a tummy bug from Lula [my 3 year old JRT] but that Trixie's weakened immune system took longer to fight the bug. Lula bounced back and was passing normal stools within 2 days!

Today I started adding a tiny amount [about 1 forkfull] of the HILLS n/d diet to her fish and pasta, over the next 7 - 10 days I'll be adding a little more hills and a little less fish/pasta until she's on hills alone - it contains white rice so hopefully that'll help prevent any runny stools in future! It's a very finely balanced diet so I don't think I should add anything to it.

I'm trilled as this now means I can resume her PIROXICAM every other day [for the time being - increasing it to a daily dose in 2 weeks] again with the antepsin given 1 hour before food and CYTOTEC [Misoprostol] given WITH her food.

I'm so relieved and hope I'm not tempting fate by saying that at long LAST - nearly 3 weeks after her TCC diagnosis - Trix is now being treated for this evil cancer. Everyone who knows and loves Trix is rooting for her, and including her in their prayers. Trix, Hubby and myself are all very grateful for that!

I'm also [now Trixie's tummy is now settled] going to be introducing her herbal treatments. I found out about a herbalist in Australia via another canine cancer forum. His name is Robert McDowell. I read the testimonials on his site and decided to give them a try. He makes a powerful antioxidant - the main ingredient being maritime pine bark. This is said to boost the dog's immune system. His website can be found here: www.herbal-dogkeeping.com if anyone would like to find out about his treatments. I'll start Trix on these 2 herbals once I'm confident that her system is dealing well with the piroxicam.

When I spoke to my vet about Trixie's runny motions, she suggested keeping a diarrhoea treatment on hand in Trixie's meds box - KAOGEL - hopefully I wont be needing it, but I think it's a good thing to have just in case!

Once again, thank you to everyone who took the time to reply to my question - I wish you and your 4 legged babies a very healthy and happy and positive week ahead.

Hugs, Jaq x

It is with great sadness and with a broken heart that I have to tell everyone here on the msg board that Trixie lost her short battle with TCC on august 28th. We were so blessed to have her in our lives for her entire 16 years. Those years have just flown by so fast, it seems like yesterday that I first laid eyes on a gorgeous little jack russell pup and fell hopelessly in love. She was a truly loved member of our family and all the love she received from us she returned ten fold. Her passing [just 4 weeks and one day after diagnosis] has left a huge empty space in our lives that can never be filled. Trix was a one of a kind beautiful soul - as FAR from a typical JRT as you could ever get - she loved everyone [human or 4 legged furry] and loved to sit on the lawn watching our rabbits hopping around, greeting them with a nose-to-nose "Hi" or giving their ears a friendly lick when ever they'd hop up to her to say hello. She [and my husband and myself] were fortunate in that throughout her life, she never suffered any health problems until the last month of her life. For that - we thank God.

My heart aches to hold her just one more time, if only for a brief moment, but in truth if I could hold her from now til the end of my time on earth it wouldn't be long enough. I know one day she and I will be together once more for eternity. I miss her so badly.

Thanks to everyone on this board, not only those who replied to my posts, but to EVERYone without exception, for sharing and caring. May you all find strength and much support from, and FOR each other. God bless x

Jaq - Trixie's Mum