Prednisolone - diarreah - pro kolin

[ribbons]

After much misdiagnosis over the last 6 months my little chi has just been confirmed as having meningitis.
It was a shock, very worrying but also a relief to know what the problem was and at last begin treatment.

She is usually raw fed and has always had perfectly solid poo's, at the moment though I am cooking her meat and adding a little boiled rice as advised.
I collected her from vets on Tuesday 5pm, they had started steroid treatment the previous evening. She did a huge pile of watery diarreah on surgery floor. Vet not concerned, said it would settle and only be concerned if its black (its yellow)
All tues night and weds morning smaller amounts every hour or so.
She was at deaths door before diagnosis and starting steroids but was pretty much back to usual self when I collected her after just 24hrs of treatment and is still really well in every respect apart from the diarreah.

Vets not concerned said it can happen and will settle but started her on pro kolin weds lunchtime.
After 3 doses her poos are slightly thicker but no sign of forming, still a splat.
Do any of you have experience of predinislone causing serious diarreah, does it continue until treatment stops (hope not, could be 6 months of steroids) I'm surprised at this side effect as I understood the drug sometimes used to stop diarreah in cases like crohns, IBS etc.
Is pro kolin reliable for sorting the issue, roughly how long will it take. Poor little girl is really good at using a poo pad but its really upsetting for her.
Lots of questions, sorry, but I'd love some other owner experience as vets are really not concerned by it.
She is having another test on Monday in the hope we can reduce the steroids.
Many thanks for any experiences.

 

[paisley]

I've used it recently, after my whippet had such a upset tummy, he had spots of blood in the stool (from going so much/straining). I would say it took at least 48 hrs, but I did up the dose a little as he was on the threshold of weight/dose. After 72hr, good stools, after 5 days his normal ones. I would use it again, especially as he gets unsettled tum after worming now and then

 

[ribbons]

Thank you paisley, fingers crossed it kicks in soon then.

 

[Alec Swan]

There was a poster on here who's opinion I respected at one time, who said that for dogs with diarrhoea the tinned food Chappie was a sure cure. She was adamant, and assured everyone that she was right and I see no reason to doubt her.

Whether the problem needs dealing with from the viewpoint of medication, or diet, would be for a Vet or a Dietician to decide, but I can't see that a tinned dog food would do any harm, however we might view the horrible stuff!!

Good luck and let us know how you get on.

Alec.

 

[Dizzydancer]

Is she on a gastro protectant? My lab Was on steroids and had zitac to protect stomach lining as the steroids can cause problems with stomach maybe something to consider. He didn't have the protectant once in a lower dose for body weight.
He didn't have any diarrhoea tho- whether that's cause gastro protectant stopped it or not I have no idea!

 

[ribbons]

Specialist vet says Zantac only needed if stools are black (blood)
and he is not concerned at the moment.
My own vet is taking blood tests today (a week after starting steroids) sending results to specialist vet who will decide if steroid dose can be reduced.
Pro kolin dose started on wednesday was 2ml and she was still going about every hour so on Saturday night I gave her 3ml, having been assured it was not possible to overdose on it. She hasn't been at all since !!!!'
She is really well otherwise so I obviously will have tweak the pro kolin dose and hope steroids can be reduced and it will settle down as the poor little girl is looking at 6 months of steroids so that's a long time to alternate between runny bum and bunged up.
I may try the chappie Alec, I have heard that before. But oh the smell of that stuff. Yuk yuk yuk.
Thanks everyone.