Q. Chronic diarrhea and flatulence. This bas been going on for over a month. We have changed the kibble in hope of a resolution but it has not …

ANSWER : A. Several things can cause a dog’s diarrhea, and chronic diarrhea can sometimes be hard to treat. However the most common causes of chronic diarrhea can be from food allergies to certain ingredients in the diet as well as a disruption in the gut bacteria. Metronidazole helps with chronic diarrhea in some cases if there is an underlying bacterial condition. Checking your dog’s food for common allergens such as wheat, corn or soy products may alert you to a problem as these can cause a lot of digestive issues in some dogs. Some dogs may also be allergic to more common protein types such as beef, lamb or even chicken, so finding a food with an alternate protein source can also help. Natural remedies to help clear up diarrhea can also include adding plain yogurt to meals to seed the gut with healthy bacteria, or adding pureed pumpkin to provide a fiber boost to firm up stools. However, if these things don’t help with the diarrhea, additional testing and treatment with your vet is best.

ANSWER : A. If the pus really isn’t all that bad, and it’s just some discharge, your pup may benefit from a diet change. It could be that the food you’re feeding just isn’t right for your dog, and that’s okay! Dogs grow and change over time, and now that your dog is fully matured, a diet change may be in order. Try something like Taste of the Wild, maybe a grain free dog food, Orijen, or Ziwipeak. These are all really great food options.

If the pus is really bad, and continues to get worse, see your vet again and let them know what’s going on. Maybe you could try a diet change, and then see if there are any improvements.

Remember, you should always gradually change a dogs diet. By gradually, I mean you put a tiny bit of new kibble in with a bowl of the old kibble. Reduce the old kibble by just a few bits of kibble. Throughout the course of at least two weeks (or as long as you want depending on whether or not you want to finish off the old food) you slowly add more of the new kibble while removing some of the old kibble. This makes the process gradual, and won’t cause any tummy-upset in your dog.

ANSWER : A. If you are in financial difficulty, there are ways of still getting your pet treated by a veterinarian. Ask if they take Care Credit and apply online. This is a credit card specifically for medical, dental, and veterinary expenses.

Call a local animal shelter and ask if they have a low-cost pet clinic that works with people with limited incomes or call a college of veterinary medicine in your area and ask about a low- or no-cost veterinary care program.

GiveForward and Youcaring.com are crowd funding websites that help you raise money to help take care of your pets

Harley’s Hope Foundation is an organization that ensures low income pet parents and their companion or service animals remain together when issues arise.

Many breed rescues and groups have specials funds available for owners who need financial assistance, such as the Special Needs Dobermans, Labrador Lifeline, and Pitbull Rescue Central.

Banfield Pet Hospital has its own programs for owners that can’t afford their pet’s care.

The Onyx & Breezy Foundation has many programs including helping people with medical bills. They are a good resource for information.

Brown Dog Foundation provides funding to families with a sick pet that would likely respond to treatment, but due to circumstances, there is not enough money immediately available to pay.

Some groups help with specific disease, such as Canine Cancer Awareness, The Magic Bullet Fund, Helping Harley Fund, and Muffin Diabetes Fund.

The Pet Fund and Redrover.org are great sources for help to care for your pet.

The Humane Society website has many links to other organizations that help with veterinary expenses.

ANSWER : A. Anytime a pet has prolonged diarrhea, it is always a good idea to schedule a wellness check with your veterinarian. Bringing in a sample of your cat’s stool is also a good idea to check for any internal parasites or illnesses that may be causing it.

Diarrhea can be caused by a large number of things ranging from illness, internal parasites, digestive upset or even dietary issues. Ruling out any more serious issues first is best, then looking to others such as stress or diet is next. Cats can have issues with some grain products such as wheat, corn and soy, and can even have issues with dairy and fish products! (Cats are naturally lactose-intolerant). Changing the diet may help to firm up the stools.

For other additives, adding a probiotic such as Forti-flora from your vet, or a teaspoon of plain yogurt added to the food can help. Adding in a small amount of pureed pumpkin to the diet may also help as the added fiber can firm up the stool. However if the stool does not improve after a few days of treatment, a follow-up with your vet is best.

ANSWER : A. If you are in financial difficulty, there are ways of still getting your pet treated by a veterinarian. Ask if they take Care Credit and apply online. This is a credit card specifically for medical, dental, and veterinary expenses.

Call a local animal shelter or college of veterinary medicine in your area and ask if they have a low- or no-cost veterinary care program.

GiveForward and Youcaring.com are crowd funding websites that help you raise money to help take care of your pets

Harley’s Hope Foundation is an organization that ensures low income pet parents and their companion or service animals remain together when issues arise.

Many breed rescues and groups have specials funds available for owners who need financial assistance, such as the Special Needs Dobermans, Labrador Lifeline, and Pitbull Rescue Central.

Banfield Pet Hospital has its own programs for owners that can’t afford their pet’s care.

Feline Veterinary Emergency Assistance (FVEAP) works with seniors, people with disabilities, people who

have lost their job, good Samaritans who rescue a cat or kitten who may need financial assistance to save a beloved companion.

The Feline Veterinary Emergency Assistance Program is a nonprofit 501 (c)(3) organization that provides financial assistance to cat and kitten guardians who are unable to afford veterinary services to save their companions when life-threatening illness or injury strikes.

God’s Creatures Ministry helps pay for veterinarian bills for those who need help.

IMOM is dedicated to insure that no companion animal has to be euthanized simply because their caretaker

is financially challenged.

The Onyx & Breezy Foundation has many programs including helping people with medical bills. They are a good resource for information.

Brown Dog Foundation provides funding to families with a sick pet that would likely respond to treatment, but due to circumstances, there is not enough money immediately available to pay.

Some groups help with specific disease, such as Canine Cancer Awareness, The Magic Bullet Fund, Helping Harley Fund, and Muffin Diabetes Fund.

The Pet Fund and Redrover.org are great sources for help to care for your pet.

The Humane Society website has many links to other organizations that help with veterinary expenses.

ANSWER : A. If your dog is clinically normal otherwise than I would recommend starting some probiotics. I also have some Chinese veterinary herbs that I use often to consolidate stool if you would like to try an alternative therapy. More traditional protocol would be submitting a fecal sample. He could have a bacterial colitis, or a parasite such as giardia that are easily treated.

ANSWER : A. Excessive shedding can be caused by a number of things. Many dogs will shed their coats every few months, or may have a minor allergy to a food or product used on them to cause shedding. In some cases, underlying metabolic conditions may also cause excessive hair loss.

The best remedy for helping with shedding is to make sure to groom your dogs by brushing them daily. This will remove any loose hairs on the body before they can be shed onto other surfaces. Products such as the Furminator ( available here: http://bit.ly/1xTFcLT ) are great for helping get the loose hairs quickly and easily however any brush will help. Bathing regularly will also help with increased shedding.

if you feel the shedding may be due to an allergy or food ingredient allergy, looking for a food with less commonly allergenic ingredients (ones that avoid products such as wheat, corn and soy) may help. Food changes should be done gradually over a week to avoid digestive upset. If after the food change and grooming changes the shedding status does not stop, it is best to schedule a wellness check with your local veterinarian to make sure there is not another underlying cause of the shedding.

ANSWER : A. So I’m hearing a couple of problems going on. Frequent defecation with diarrhea (I’m assuming, since there’s fecal matter attached and the anus, and typically it only “sticks” when it’s soft) and lethargy/clinginess. Pretty general signs, however let’s focus on the diarrhea and assume it’s a GI thing. You didn’t tell me whether this is a cat or dog but I’ll assume dog since you said she goes outside to defecate.

Diarrhea may or may not be a sign of a serious disease. I don’t get especially concerned with one or two episodes in an animal who seems to feel completely normally otherwise, but what you’re describing sounds concerning. Your dog is restless, can’t get comfortable, and is somewhat needy – all of those indicate discomfort to me.

Without knowing how old your dog is it’s pretty difficult to get specific about causes, but I’ll mention some possibilities. Certainly parasites, including giardia, can cause diarrhea, as well as bacterial or viral infections in the gut. Indiscriminate eating, which dogs are master of, can cause diarrhea. Food allergies or sensitivities as well as inflammatory bowel disease are on the list. More serious causes include liver, kidney, or pancreatic disease, as well as intestinal cancers.

I’m hoping this has only been going on for a little while. You can try feeding a bland/high-fiber diet of boiled white meat chicken and white rice (25% chicken and 75% rice) in small (1/4 to 1/2 cup) amounts frequently (every two hours). If the diarrhea doesn’t resolve in 12 hours see a veterinarian. If she’s vomiting or won’t eat at all, see a vet sooner.