juliaotwellsmith

Hello all. This is my first post but we are at our wits end with our boxer, Bowzer. He has been sick since August and we have little answers as to why. It started in August with a move from Tucson, Arizona to Charlottesville, VA. My husband is military so we pack up our two dogs and two kids and moved. Once we started our journey he began eating less and less. By the time we arrived in Virginia, he was eating almost nothing. Once we arrived the diarrhea began. It happens off and on, weeks at a time. It is very slimy and usually a light orange but he 'usually' can hold it until he goes outside. He also stops eating for long periods of time and has lost a tremendous amount of weight. When we left Tucson he weighed in at a healthy 62 pounds and now is well under 50. His ribs and hip bones are very prominent. He drinks normally and will show interest in food at random. He also vomits about once a week and likes to eat grass outside. The vomit generally is bile colored. We've switched his food regularly (all premiums) and he will not eat rice, boiled chicken, boiled eggs or anything else that may stimulate his appetite without making it worse. Whenever we do switch, he eats for a few days, his bowel movements will become normal and then he stops eating and he goes back to the diarrhea. He's been to the vet multiple times without any answers. We've had a complete blood profile done, x-rays, stool sample tests and all have come back normal. They have treated with antibiotics, probiotics, anti-nauseas, and even treating 'unseen' parasites but it has done no good. He's not a chewer and he doesn't eat random things so an obstruction seems unlikely. Our final answer from the vet was either 1. severe depression brought on by the move or 2. Cancer but he is only 5.5 years old and so it is not likely. He still seems fairly normal despite the issues. He plays, is affectionate and doesn't seem depressed. We hate the idea of letting go because we love him but we also watch him constantly and check on him in his sleep to make sure he's still breathing. Any ideas to take to the vet would be so helpful.

af_wx_wife

Oh my!! I'm sorry but I don't have any answers or any ideas as to what is going on. I know when we moved from VA to TX (also military) our boxer mix Maggie got a little depressed but nothing major. She was still happy as she was with us. I sure hope your able to figure out what is going on.

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Mgibs

Have you looked into getting him checked for Valley Fever? It's bad down here in AZ for both pple and pets? Extreme weight loss is a symptom


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juliaotwellsmith

We've discussed testing but he isn't showing any other symptoms. He doesn't show the joint issues or cough...

dawnybabe

Do you feed dog food that is grain free? If not you should try it he could be allergic to something in his food that gives him runny poop.

Have you thought of feeding Raw diet?

Stress could be a factor but that much Weight loss is odd.. I hope Kari 2manydogs can help with the food eating and stress.

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GoudasMom

I was thinking the same thing

Being the dog is 5.5 years old doesnt mean he might have(I hope not) cancer. I have seen dogs as young as two years old have cancer.

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Gouda 9/6/01 - 7/19/12

Sue - Mom to Kippah rescued 8/19/12

juliaotwellsmith

We're currently grain free, it worked about a week. Then he stopped eating again and started having diarrhea again. We haven't tried raw but willing at this point.

Gypsiemouse

I would ask your vet about Addison's Disease.

Addison's Disease

Welcome to the forum, BTW
Please keep us posted on Bowzer, I'll keep him in my prayers.

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Lynne- Owned by and Slave to Maggie and Mongo

2manydogs

Is he drinking? I would make up a pot of chicken broth and also some liver broth.
To make the liver broth you need to bring water to a boil, then put it on medium heat and add in about 1lb of liver. Let it simmer until liver is no longer leaking out pink gunk. Remove liver ( feed as treats for later ) and allow broth to cool. See if he will drink Liver broth all by itself. if not, add it to chicken broth. Homemade broth is best but you can also use low sodium store bought. Mix it 50/50.

You will want to fast him for 24-36hrs and only offer him the broth mixture. You can warm it if you wish or give it cold. NO WATER/only broth for this time period.

What this broth does is it calms the intestinal tract, keeps him hydrated and offers him much needed nutrients from the liver broth.

After 36hrs, offer him a raw chicken leg with skin removed. See if he will eat it. Start with 1lb for the first meal. It is very important that the skin and fat is removed. Break his meals into 2 meals per day, offering 1lb per meal. Please keep us posted and I will try to help you get him back on tract. PM me any time. This will be a slow process but fingers crossed it works.

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Kari ~ Keeper, servant and mommy to the following crew



**Proudly Raw fed since 2010**

Roccosmom

Welcome to the forum - I'm glad you found us.
I would get another opinion if necessary. Cancer can't be ruled out. Have they considered a barium study or scoping Bower and getting a biopsy of his intestines?

He could have a partial obstruction of some sort - something that doesn't show on an xray.

Has your vet ruled out EPI? I will find a link about it. You will need to put him on a low protein low fat diet. EPI dogs have a hard time absorbing nutrients and therefore lose weight. Diarrhea is another symptom. Most EPI dogs want to eat but not every dog exhibits the same symptoms.
http://www.epi4dogs.com/epiinsnapshots.htm

Please don't give up!