Recurring Clostridium Perfringens
Poor Madison has had a rough year or so. Seizures, arthritis, and recurring diarrhea. Poor thing.
Back in June, Mr. Jackpot picked up a lovely case of C Perfringens. He had worsening diarrhea and some vomiting. We took him to the vet and determined he had Sporulated Clostridium. Easily treated with antibiotics, but in some dogs it has a tendency to recur (the bacteria form spores that don't die off, and so it can rebound).
http://mycorgi.com/forum/topics/sick-corgis
Maddie had pinkeye at the same time, and then a week or two later Maddie got the Clostridium too (turns out fully half the regular park dogs we know have had this infection from spring into fall, so there must be a reservoir of it somewhere in the park).
We treated them both with a 7 day course of metronidazole and probiotics. Then we boarded Maddie overnight at the end of June and she got it again. We treated it again and she was fine after that.
Fast forward to early November. Maddie got it back. We treated her, she was good. Then Jack picked it back up. Treated him, he was ok. Then Maddie got it back another time. At this point the vet recommended daily probiotics and daily pumpkin to add fiber to the diet, which can reduce the growth of harmful bacteria and aid the growth of good bacteria.
This Monday, Maddie got it back for the 3rd time since the beginning of November: 11/01/14, 11/17/14, and 12/08/14.
The vet is now suggesting a 30 to 60 day course with low-dose Tylosin, another antibiotic that is most commonly used in livestock (it's one of those they feed long-term to prevent infections, which I disagree with, but that's beside the point). It is used off-label to treat recurrent C Perfringens.
I was just wondering if anyone has any experience with this? Looking online, it seems to be the recommended treatment so I am as comfortable as I can be, but I am hoping for some feedback from someone who has been there.
This is just been a major nuisance. Jack despises messing the house so when he gets it, he barks every two hours to go out and we get no sleep. Maddie, on the other hand, does not bark to go out so we come down in the morning to find we need to clean the entire downstairs and shower off the poor dog. When Jack gets it he is miserable, but Maddie normally doesn't act sick at all, other than the diarrhea. The vet has been wonderful with phone consults, as well as letting us keep a course of antibiotics at the house so we can start treatment immediately. I just want the carousel to stop and have my healthy dogs back!
Thanks!
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Bev Levy on
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Oh Beth that sounds awful! I had a much less stressful year several years ago when Misty, Sparty and Izzy passes pink eye around for months. I hope this clears soon for you.Fortunately Watsons recent but with kennel cough did not get passed on to the rest of the animals in the house. Anyway...hope this passes by you soon. You've had enough!
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Permalink Reply by Holly on
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I just had to say how bad I feel for you all!! For humans I am a big fan of using things "off-label" with the patients full, informed-consent. Not sure about animals, but many things seem to work on some symptoms that were originally used to treat other things. I hope they aren't becoming resistant to antibiotics. Poor babies. I feel very bad, as I said for all of you. It all sounds so discouraging and the names are so intimidating!!
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Permalink Reply by Jane Christensen on
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Oh Beth, I'm sorry you and the corgis had had to go through this so often. I'm hoping the treatment works and both dogs stay healthy. I can only imagine the messes and I'm sure Jack and Maddie felt bad too!
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Permalink Reply by Stephanie on
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Hope you've been able to get the diarrhea under control. If you run into the problem again, my vet suggested using psyllium husk powder to make the diarrhea a little more solid or at least easy to pick up. Our local grocery store, Schnuck's, has it in their bins of special foods and it can be purchased at health food stores and other locations. A small amount, such as a teaspoon, in a small bit of canned dog food or cat food for cat treatment when the stools are loose, can work wonders in making the stool more solid or at least easier to pick up/clean up.
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Sounds like small consequence, but being easier to pick up really is a huge benefit. Good to know. Hope it helps and I hope I never have to personally test it out! Just thinking of myself :-D
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Permalink Reply by Beth on
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The vet suggested we use either the psyllium or pumpkin, so we went with the pumpkin.
Clostridial infections cause large bowel diarrhea, which is different than the tummy-upset small-intestine diarrhea most of us are familiar with.
It causes extra fluid to draw into the bowel, which gives the poor dog the urge to go when there is really nothing left in there. Poor pups then pass quarter-sized blobs of goo, blood, and a tiny amount of feces. So bulking it up doesn't help because there is nothing there to bulk up, if you see what I mean. There isn't a way to firm up blood and mucus. And it's gross and sticky so their pants need washing.
Fiber can, however, reduce the risk of recurrence by changing the makeup of the gut flora over time.
I have become something of an expert on dog crap. :-( This is not something I strived to become. ;-0
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