BIJOU STANDARD POODLES
...
Ocassionally after our pups go home they will experience loose stools for a variety of reasons, such as but not limited to,
Change of environment, change of food, allergies, stress, vaccinations.
However many of our puppy people and including ourselves
have been feeding recalled pet food said to be contaminated with Salmonella.
As a result anyone experiencing pups with loose stools may be scared
that your puppy may have Salmonella Poisoning because of the food recall.
Symptoms to look for are:
Lethargy, Diarrhea, Mucus in stool, Vomiting, no appetite, Weight loss, Dehydration
We have been VERY scared ourselves for the well being of our puppies and our adults
since this entire Food Recall, especially after Costco called us on a Saturday May 5, 2012
with an automated message telling us that the food we bought was on recall and to stop using the food and return the food ASAP.
Immediatly after we were notified, we took action notifiying our puppy people by their email addresses they provided to us
about the food recall and also posted this information prominently on our web page accessible to everyone
to make sure that this information got out there ASAP.
We are going through this scare right along with you, with the difference being I have many various
resources and a Vet with over 45 years experience available to use and help me and who knows all of my dogs and pups.
I am here to share that I have been spent many waking HOURS on the internet researching, spent hours
with my Vet learning as much as I could about Salmonella Poisoning and treatments, hoping to find more answers
on what can be done, how to help anyone going through this and also how to prevent this from every happening again
all inbetween taking my husband to the hospital for shoulder surgery, in-laws coming to stay with us to help
my working 24 hour shifts and training and caring for our adults as usual, and answering many concerned emails
all because of the Diamond Food/Kirkland food recall.
We shared this information on May 5th to our puppy people.
WE also displayed this information on our web page ASAP.
And as a result of my many sleepless nights and I have been able to put the following information here to share
and hopefully help some of you and NOT to scare you into running to the vet with an otherwise healthy puppy or dog
that maybe experiencing just some loose stools because of stress of change of environment, food, water, ect. which is normal.
But so that you can be informed and also choose to start prevention NOW by:
Discontinue feeding any Recalled Diamond Foods a list that is expanding so google for latest results
Antibiotics of: Metronidazole and Apo-Sulfatrim pills 1-2x a day for 7 days (at vet $22.00)
Having on hand or providing Hills a/d high nutrience tin food (at vet $3.00/tin)
B complex vitamins or Amino B complex liquid Vitamin 2x a day for 7 days ($18.00/2oz)
Clean any areas puppy has been on or toys and or bedding with 40mls bleach/Gallon water
to avoid any scares and expensive vet bills later.
There is no "cure", blood work, testing, Xrays, for anything, that will change any treatment or outcome
for this exact experience, as all treatment for GI upsets are ALL the same
The only person that is going to benefit from extra testing or treatments is the Vet
It is totally up to you if you wish to be fear mongered, or guilted, into spending extra money
on testing, blood work, xrays, that will not change or improve your puppy's health.
ALL tests for Parvo Virus will be positive because we vaccinate our pups for Parvo.
I don't offer this information to waste my time
I offer this information because we have pups with Salmonella from this food
AND because I know 100% my robust pups will be fine if you follow my Vet's Treatement Plan
our Puppy People have done it, we have done it and it and it works .....
Prevention & Treatment = $50.00 ...... Extensive Care = $1500.00
YOUR CHOICE, I can't make anyone use common sense
REASONS FOR DIARRHEA
Salmonella or Campylobacter This is what some of our pups may be experiencing
loose stools and GI upset. We have fed recalled contaminated food and we sent pups home with recalled contaminated food.
Please begin administering antibiotics ASAP and have Hills a/d tin food available because pups will get sick on the weekend
and for sure when the vet's offices are closed.
These are your food poisoning bacterias that Diamond Food is said to be experiencing.
We were feeding our pups Kirkland adult chicken and Rice food and we do put our bags into storage containers which
the recalled food was also in. Tests for salmonella is expensive and also ineffective, if puppy has been given any antibiotics.
Treatment for these are the same for all GI upsets AND if you follow instructions,
thankfully your strong, robust puppy will survive and be fine.
AND in all fairness, many people choosing to feed RAW or BARF diets have even
poisoned their own dogs with Salmonella because of improperly stored food, so it is not only food companies.
Treatment:
Antibiotics of: Metronidazole and Apo-Sulfatrim pills 2x a day for 7 days (at vet $22.00)
Having on hand or providing Hills a/d high nutrience tin food (at vet $3.00/tin)
B complex vitamins or Amino B complex liquid Vitamin 2x a day for 7 days
Clean all contaminated areas with bleach 40 ml/gallon concentration to be effective against
viruses as long as there is no organic matter and surface contact time is 10+ minutes.
Throw out all contaminated or suspect food
Clostridium Perfringens
The organism can be consumed in food and when it arrives in the small intestine, it forms a spore and begins to produce toxin.
The type of diarrhea produced by the toxin is generally a type of colitis, meaning the large intestine is affected.
Such types of diarrhea are mucous, possibly bloody, and associated with straining.
A more watery diarrhea (as comes from the small intestine) is also possible.
Immunologic testing for the presence of the toxin in a fecal sample is the state of the art at the current time.
PCR tests are performed at a reference laboratory and results are typically obtained in 1 to 2 days.
Treatment:
Antibiotics of: Metronidazole and Apo-Sulfatrim pills 7 - 21 days
(longer tx required for this than other GI issues).
Coccidia and or Giardia
Both very common protozoa infestations that may rear their head on an otherwise healthy puppy
if stressors of travel, change in living occur. The tests for these will usually come back negative
because the sample is hard to get of the actual protozoa.
What you need to know is the tests are costly and basically useless because of the often
false negatives and treatment is affordible and over the counter.
Easier and cheaper to just treat when in doubt.
Treatment:
Antibiotics of: Metronidazole and Apo-Sulfatrim pills 2x a day for 7 days (at vet $22.00)
Having on hand or providing Hills a/d high nutrience tin food (at vet $3.00/tin)
B complex vitamins or Amino B complex liquid Vitamin 2x a day for 7 days
Clean all contaminated areas with bleach 1:32 (1/2 cup/gallon) concentration to be effective against
viruses and a parvocidal as long as there is no organic matter and surface contact time is 10+ minutes.
THE GOOD NEWS:
Yes, believe it or not there is good news after a tainted food scare, at least for our pups.
Because our pups started out so robust, healthy with good weight and good immune systems, that if pups are
stopped being fed contaminated food, treated
ASAP with antibiotics, kept hydrated following basic treaments for GI upset, at home,
basically the same as we treat humans with the flu, that this GI upset will pass and pups will thrive.
IF you still wish to believe that your puppy had parvo and miraculously survived... then your puppy is
believed to have a lifetime immunity to the disease.
TREATMENT:
GET RID OF ANY SUSPECTED TAINTED FOOD
Hydration and antibiotics and keeping puppy quiet (leave puppy at home in a consistant environment),
keep puppy comfortable, warm and have fresh water available.
and fresh "unspoilt" soft Hills a/d tin food available 24/7
Keep the puppy's area that the puppy is confined in clean and fresh (same as how us humans would like to be when we have the flu).
We suggest an xpen or puppy pen or room, with an area all papered (for accidents) and a towel for bedding,
fresh water, tin food and dry kibble available at the other end.
You may also wish to offer Softened Kibble if puppy is eating fine as will just give extra hydration
and you may even mix a bit of the tin food into it to tempt puppy to eat
Basically one area for puppy to poop in and the other area for puppy to eat and drink at.
This is so any lethargic pups will get plenty of rest, lots of opportunity to drink and hydrate and
accessible area to toilet in without any scolding until puppy is better.
We have had sick pups since the kirkland recall and following our AT HOME treatment plan
our pups were resuming normality within 3 days. I am NOT a vet.
I do however know my pups and after 23 years of breeding and networking and asking questions,
and support of a Vet with over 30 years of experience of seeing it all,
I have a pretty good history of managing any issues my puppy may have, come up.
IF you are ever in any question that your puppy might be sick or require professional
medical attention, then simply get to your vet and email me ASAP.
Tell your Vet you want IV Fluids and antibiotics as well as an anti nausea med and offered
fresh food and water and that is it. They may call this "palative care"
You will be able to take your puppy home in 1-3 days after IV fluids and antibiotics.
Make sure you get oral medication, Hills a/d tin food, and even bag of Fluids to administer SubQ if needed.
And perhaps this is just "my" belief but I would like to see liquid vit B as well 2x a day
TREATMENT if Puppy has Diarrhea & Vomiting:
...
Stop feeding any kibble you suspect may be tainted.
Get Hills science A/D TIN food diet high in nutrience from the vet adding warm water
to make into a slush as this will tempt them to eat and also keep hydrated, right away.
Most Vet offices do carry and will sell the tins at a hefty $3.00 a tiny tin.
If available to you, give Amino B complex liquid Vitamin 2x a day (I give it after surgery)
Get Metronidazole and Apo-Sulfatrim pills
from your Vet and treat for 7 days, as will help sooth upset tummy
and is antibiotic to fight infections.
If puppy is having just loose stools and is getting quiet:
1. For sure keep from other young animals... if you have a xpen or room to put her in
with newspapers at one end and a blanket and food at the other end, that you can clean with bleach (40mls to a gallon of water)
and where she can have water available 24/7 and a place to poop on (they won't want to be dirty dogs or soil
where they should not) that would help. I know everyone is toilet training and restricting water
at night, but pups with diarrhea need fluids available and mosit food 24/7 if she is having loose stools.
2. get some Hills AD or similar high calorie tin food and make into a slush and have that available
to her 24/7 for her to access. IF you do not have tin food available then you can always feed
"softened" kibble just to help ensure they are getting enough hydration and fluids.
3. Also put a bowl of small dry kibble for puppy to access, in case puppy feels
up to eating kibble because they are also probably teething.
4. Ask the Vet for the medications I have listed, as will help calm her tummy and treat her.
TREATMENT IF Puppy is vomiting and or not drinking:
1. All the above.
2. If you feel comfortable administering saline subq then ask the vet to take home
pills and pill popper, and a bag of saline to administer and needles enough for 2x a day.
Make sure you ask how much or how much to feel rise under skin
Also bring home and some Hills AD tin food (you can return if unused)
IF the Vet has the liquid vit B grab some of that too for 2x a day and give
AFTER the pills as this tastes so good that it will feel like a treat to puppy.
3. If you don't feel comfortable with any of the above OR puppy is vomiting
white gums and puppy is getting very dehydrated (skin staying tented and not snapping
back down into place), then your option is to put puppy in hospital, for the hospital
to administer everything at a cost of roughly $50.00/every 12 hours and not including
medications and other expenses, which can easily add up to $350.00/day.
I hope some of the above has helped you out.
CONCLUSION:
I have highly recommended and used Kirkland chicken and rice adult food for
Probably around 10 years and I have never had any problems with the food or the company.
My Best in Show dogs have been on this food
I do believe Diamond food (the makers of Kirkland food) have done all they could with alerting their clients
as soon as possible, to the contamination and recalling all the food they believe is contaminated or potentially contaminated.
I believe that in part thanks to their quick actions, that loss of life was prevented.
I also realise that there is no absolute way to prove that a sick dog or puppy was indeed a victim of Salmonella poisoning
except by the timing of the exposure and the end results. In life things are going to happen that are unpleasant and unexpected.
I still believe in this product and when the dust settles and the food is cleared I will be returning as a loyal satisfied customer.
IF Costco or Kirkland food see fit to provide compensation for pups or dogs that have been effected by their food,
I will be passing this information along as well.
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