A dog that is not being shown will probably need a bath every three weeks or so--more often if he decides to roll in a mud puddle or encounters a skunk! A dirty coat tends to tangle more than a clean one, so it behooves you to bathe your dog as often as needed.

Before you actually put your dog into the sink or laundry tub, brush him out thoroughly. Water tends to "set in" mats, making them almost impossible to remove. Be sure to check the hair between the pads of the feet, which can mat and give your dog sore feet. Trim this hair level with the pads, then stand the dog in show pose and trim the hair on the top of the paws level with the table to give the feet a neater appearance. Pull any excess hair out of the ear canal with your fingers to prevent matted hair in the canal from cutting off air circulation, which can lead to ear infections. Your dog may not like to have you do this, but don't think you're really hurting him when you do: There are no nerves inside the ear canal. If you want to clean visible excess wax and dirt out of the ear with a Q-tip, fine, but be sure not to poke down deep into the ear canal, as you can injure the eardrum.

Ask your vet to show you how to express your dog's anal glands. When full, they will feel like two hard peas on either side of the anus just below the root of the tail. To clean them--a foul-smelling job definitely to be done just before a bath--cover the anus with a tissue and squeeze gently upward and outward until any fluid is extracted. This will prevent an anal abscess from forming.

If you place a rubber shower mat in the bottom of the sink or tub, you dog will have firm footing and will be less likely to struggle. Use lukewarm water and two soapings with a quality shampoo designed for your dog's coat, particularly on the legs, to get all the dirt out, and use your fingernails or a toothbrush to thoroughly clean any encrusted matter out of the hair beneath the eyes and around the mouth. Try not to get any soapy water into the eyes or ears, and use a tearless shampoo on the face to lessen the possibility of irritation. Wash the head last as this is what dogs generally object to the most.

Keep a sharp eye out for external parasites, such as fleas or ticks, as one flea can make a dog scratch out a coat that took months to grow. I find that special pyrethrin shampoos available from your veterinarian seem to be less harsh on the coat than most over-the-counter varieties. Any shampoo residue, which can cause the dog to scratch, can be removed by pouring a quart of warm water with a capful of cider vinegar over the dog, then rinsing thoroughly.

After you have rinsed the soap out, put a capful or two of conditioner into a quart of warm water and pour it over the dog, avoiding the face. Allow the conditioner to remain in the coat for a few minutes, then rinse. Some people use special oil treatments or other hair care products at this stage.

Squeeze any excess moisture out of the coat, then wrap the dog in a couple of thick bath towels for ten to fifteen minutes to lessen the amount of time he will have to spend under the dryer. Use a corner of the towel to wipe the face and blot the ears. This is a good time to cut toenails--your dog is more or less captive while swaddled in towels, and his nails are softer when wet. Cut the nails to where they hook over being careful not to cut into the red streak (quick) that can be seen in any translucent nails. If you do accidentally cut too deep and the nail bleeds, use styptic powder to stop the bleeding. Pay special attention to any dewclaws. As they do not touch the ground, they will not wear down naturally like the other nails.

A Shih Tzu should be dried with a blow dryer; one with a stand will free both your hands to work on the dog, Brush the dog gently while his coat dries to separate the hair and speed up the drying process. Once he is thoroughly dry, give him a part and put in his topknot. Then put him down on the floor and watch him prance around. They seem to know how good they look at this stage!

Between baths, if you notice your dog sitting down or rubbing his rear along the floor, check his rear. If his stool has been soft, the anal opening (particularly on a puppy) may be caked with fecal matter. Watch also that his eyes and ears do not appear irritated, and have his teeth cleaned periodically to avoid dental problems later on. Any "hot spots" caused by excessive scratching should be medicated at once to keep them from getting worse.

Love. If there's one thing you know, it's that your pet loves you. And if you love your pet, that love comes back to you tenfold. Almost all pets show happiness when you arrive home. Your dog's most enthusiastic face-licking moment of the day is when you walk through the front door - even if you've just been to the mailbox. Your cat's enthusiasm may be more subtle, but even the fact that he is in the same room with you for a change really says something. Your bird chirps, your ferret comes alive and your fish swim to your side of the aquarium. All because they love you.

Overview

Acute diarrhea is a common clinical problem in veterinary practice. It is characterized by a sudden onset and short duration (three weeks or less) of watery or watery-mucoid diarrhea. Occasionally the fecal material is also overtly bloody.

Diarrhea results from excessive water content in the feces and is an important sign of intestinal diseases in the dog. Diarrhea can affect your dog by causing extreme fluid loss, which leads to dehydration, electrolyte disturbances, and/or acid-base imbalances.

General Causes

Dietary indiscretion (eating inappropriate food/material)
Infectious agents - bacterial, viral, fungal, protozoal, parasitic infections
Drugs and toxins
Intussusception (telescoping of the bowel on itself)
Intolerance of materials in the normal diet
Intestinal obstruction
Metabolic disorders, such as liver and kidney disease
Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas)

What to Watch For

Passage of loose, watery stools that persist for more than one day
A change in the color of the stool
The appearance of blood in the stool
Decreased appetite
Vomiting
Depression, lethargy
Fever

Acute diarrhea is often alarming, but may not be an emergency if your dog is still active, drinking and eating, and is not vomiting. However, acute diarrhea associated with vomiting, lack of water intake, fever, depression, or other symptoms should prompt a visit to your veterinarian.

Diagnosis

Although most cases of acute diarrhea are short-lived and self-limiting, there are some cases that require diagnostic testing to confirm an underlying cause. Such tests include:

Complete history and physical examination
Fecal studies - flotation, smear, and zinc sulfate for Giardia
Complete blood count (CBC)
Biochemical profile
Urinalysis
Abdominal radiographs (x-rays)

Treatment

Diarrhea is a symptom that can be caused by many different diseases or conditions. Specific treatment requires a diagnosis. The diagnostic tests described previously may reveal a diagnosis, however, in the interim symptomatic therapy may be helpful to reduce the severity of signs and offer relief to your pet:

Placing the intestinal tract in a state of physiologic rest by withholding food for 12 - 24 hours
Subsequent change to a bland, easily digestible diet
Fluid therapy
Antibiotic therapy
Intestinal protectants and adsorbents

If Your Dog Has Diarrhea

Administer only prescribed medications.

Provide fresh water or oral rehydrating solutions to help prevent dehydration.

Temporarily change the diet to something bland. Bland diets can be made at home or prescription type diets can be obtained from your veterinarian.

Observe your dog's general activity and appetite, watch closely for the presence of blood in the stool, worsening of signs, or the onset of vomiting.

Have your pet examined by your veterinarian if you have any questions or concerns.

Diarrhea results from excessive water content in the feces and is an important sign of intestinal diseases in the dog. Diarrhea can affect your dog by causing extreme fluid loss, which leads to dehydration, electrolyte disturbances, and/or acid-base imbalances.
Acute diarrhea associated with vomiting, lack of water intake, fever, depression, or other symptoms should prompt a visit to your veterinarian.

Causes

Many disorders and diseases can lead to acute diarrhea. These include:

Dietary indiscretion can include the eating spoiled food, overeating, the ingestion of foreign material, and/or sudden changes in the diet. Acute diarrhea may also follow ingestion of a food that contains substances that are poorly tolerated by the gastrointestinal tract.

Intestinal parasites (e.g. roundworms, hookworms, whipworms) are a common cause of acute diarrhea, especially in young dogs. These parasites are not seen grossly in the feces, but their eggs may be discovered on fecal floatation tests.

Bacteria and bacterial toxins (Salmonella, Clostridium, Campylobacter, Escherichia coli, Yersinia, etc. ) may cause acute diarrhea and may be contracted from contaminated food and water, or exposure to the fecal material of other infected animals.

Viral infections such as parvovirus, coronavirus, rotavirus, distemper virus, and adenovirus may all induce acute diarrhea.

Protozoal infections with coccidia, Giardia, Entamoeba, trichomonads, etc. may also be a cause.

Fungal and algal infections (e.g. histoplasmosis, protothecosis, phythiosis, etc.) are more likely to cause chronic diarrhea than acute diarrhea, but occasionally acute diarrhea may occur.

Drugs and toxins cause acute diarrhea by either directly irritating the lining of the intestinal tract, or by disturbing the normal population of bacteria. Examples include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin, corticosteroids, antibiotics, anti-cancer drugs, and certain heart drugs (digoxin).

Offending toxins include insecticides, lawn and garden products, and heavy metals.

Dietary intolerance may result in acute diarrhea when the animal is exposed to something in the diet that the intestines react to, such as certain proteins, lactose, high fat content, and certain food additives.

Many metabolic diseases (kidney and liver diseases) produce clinical signs of gastrointestinal disease, including diarrhea. Diarrhea may be bloody and is often accompanied by multiple systemic signs in these cases.

Pancreatitis, an inflammation of the pancreas, may also cause diarrhea.

Obstructions of the intestines usually present with vomiting, but acute diarrhea may also be noted.

Hemorrhagic gastroenteritis is a disease of uncertain origin in dogs. Affected dogs often have a sudden onset of bloody diarrhea.

Intussusception, which is the telescoping of the bowel on itself, may arise with bouts of acute diarrhea, and be present when the dog is examined.

Tumors of the intestinal tract or other abdominal organs may induce diarrhea. Although the diarrhea may begin acutely, it does not usually resolve on its own.

The best treatment for your dog requires a combination of home and professional veterinary care. For optimal follow-up success in the treatment of your pet, please do the following:

Precisely administer prescribed medications and follow any dietary recommendations. Contact your veterinarian if you are having difficulty treating your dog.

Watch your dog for worsening of the disease. Signs of worsening may include the onset of bloody diarrhea, persistence of signs for more than two days, or any signs to suggest a systemic illness (vomiting, weakness, anorexia, collapse).

If the signs resolve in a couple of days, no additional veterinary evaluation may be necessary.

Once the diarrhea has resolved, keep your dog on a consistent, balanced diet and restrict access to garbage and other things that can cause diarrhea.

Have your dog's stool checked at least yearly for intestinal parasites. Consider year round administration of heartworm preventative drugs that also prevent intestinal parasites.

The prognosis for cure of self-limiting diarrhea is excellent. Affected animals are often successfully managed with dietary restriction, replacement of fluid deficits, and correction of the underlying cause.

If your dog's diarrhea has failed to respond to the management outlined, it may require more extensive diagnostics. You should have your dog reevaluated by your veterinarian.

Turkey Gobblers

• 2 cups cooked turkey, cut up or shredded
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 tsp. grated parmesan cheese
• 1 T. parsley , finely chopped
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 T. brewers yeast
• 2 T. vegetable oil

Turkey Loaf for Dogs

• 2 pounds ground turkey
• 1/2 cup cooked mixed vegetables
• 1 T. garlic powder
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup barley
• 1 cup quick cooking oats
• 1/2 cup canned low-fat gravy