This is an indelicate, but common, question. Really! Because rescued animals often have digestive problems. So, while I hate to have to use the “d” word, you are more than likely going to have to address the problem of your rescue cat or dog with diarrhea. Why?
Stress. Poor nutrition, possibly even starvation. Emotional anxiety. Grief. Any or all of the above, and more, often plague the rescue while on the streets or in the shelter. They’ve lost their families, or been abandoned, are totally confused and trying to figure out where in the world they are. It’s no wonder you’ll probably be bringing home a dog with diarrhea!
This has been brought to my attention more than once, as I myself have several shelter rescues. Bear is a good example–a Great Pyrenees I adopted as a yearling from the local shelter.
Bear was picked up at the landfill in Taos, NM, pretty bedraggled, and then spent a few weeks behind bars being evaluated for aggression (emotional stress) before being spayed and put up for adoption. I heard about her and did a ‘meet & greet’ with two of my other dogs, and listened to her and to my heart about her disposition. I approved, she approved, and my other dogs approved. So she was immediately spayed and home with me the next day.
All went well, and Bear settled in nicely. But she came to me ravenously hungry 24/7 and burping all day every day. She was underweight, her coat rough and matted, and yes… she was the proverbial rescue dog with diarrhea.
I was not to be daunted, however, as I had been through this just a couple of years prior when I adopted little Chiweenie Tucker from the shelter. Tucker, who now weighs in at 18 lbs., was only two-thirds of that weight when I got him, and this little dog with diarrhea was so poor that we feared the worst. Even the shelter folks had doubts about his chances for attaining great health.
Aside from plenty of love and comfort, my main focus when rehabbing rescues, especially a cat or dog with diarrhea, is diet. I depend on Flint River Ranch for the pre-prepared part of my dogs’ and cats’ diets, but like to get them on some raw meat as soon as possible). And Simplexity’s Super Blue-Green Algae products are the mainstay when it comes to getting much-needed micronutrients into their bloodstream via their compromised digestive tracts. My favorite algae product for this purpose is what’s called APA Blend, because it contains such a broad spectrum of necessary nutrients and beneficial bacteria for getting the system’s natural flora back in balance. I also love to mix a little of the powdered herb Slippery Elm (the inner bark) into their food–it is an extremely safe and nutritive mucilaginous herb that is very soothing to an irritated gut. There are different variations of these nutritional elements, and other things I use as well, but these foods and supplements make up my basic program and have always worked for me. Everybody who comes into my family as a rescue gets very, very special food and care until they are back to balance, and then, well… forever. If you want to read more about Tucker’s special diet, click HERE.
Be prepared if you rescue an animal. Most likely, your new family addition will be a lovely cat or dog, BUT… a lovely cat or dog with diarrhea. Don’t expect them to be the picture of health and perfectly well adjusted the moment they come to their new home. Give them time, love, and attention. Grit your teeth, brush out the mats or bath out the dirt, and customize your new friend’s diet and exercise program. You can bring them all the way back to health and make them gloriously beautiful and deliriously happy. They never forget you rescued them from a hard life, and they are grateful to you forever for it.
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READ MORE ABOUT WHY PROBIOTICS ARE SO IMPORTANT FOR A HEALTHY IMMUNE SYSTEM AND DIGESTIVE TRACT HERE.
If you’d like to learn more about Flint River Ranch premium dog and cat foods, you can go to the link and order under my distributor #6955. Flint River Ranch was one of the very first companies to begin marketing premium pet foods with human-grade ingredients and no chemical preservatives or animal by-products, 20 years ago.
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