Hello to everyone
I am new to this Forum and am desperately trying to find help. My lovely 9 month old Cairn has been on/off ill with diarhhoea for months and months. We started on Royal Canin food when he was a pup and all was fine. He settled in fabulously and I took him to puppy socialisation classes and puppy training.......then trouble started, all that treat food to train him the positive way, coupled with an early dose of anti-biotics for a spot on his chin may have set him off. After lots of vet time, they decided it was actually food intolerance. We have been on sensitivity diet, dermatitis diet (even though not experiencing itching) and now on hypo allergenic and it's just started again. He gets well for about a week and then it just goes again. He did have campylobacter and was treated for that, but it didn't stop the diarrhoea, only changing the food did it. I am exhausted, going to bed late and getting up so early to try and stop waking to a kitchen floor covered in splatter. I am nervous all day as I have to watch him like a hawk to catch it. When he is well he is immediately clean and quite normal and he never pees inside, so I know it is not a "habit", it is just because he is ill. He is on pro-biotics daily and has had other granules etc to help control the diarrhoea, but he is only ever well for about a week or two at a time. I am at my wits end however and my relationship is at breaking point as my husband cannot stand it for much longer. The vet now wants to do blood tests for pancreatitis and lord knows what, but I am at the end of my tether. I don't want a dog that has the stomach of a princess, as it's just impractical. I have four children and got a Cairn to be a sturdy companion for all of us.
Any help / advice / support gratefully received

first of all welcome to the forum

one thing if you are willing to give it a try is treebark powder and low fat probiotic drink from Tesco it wont clear up over night cos it is herbal and heals from the inside out but it is certainly worth giving it a go the tree bark can be got on line from Dorwest herbs

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thanks tashi, will try tree bark........will try anything at this point! Raising four boys seemed like a doddle compared to this one small doglet......

To be truthful i had a puppy that was so poorly it even foxed the vets I spoke to Dorwest at one of the dog shows and they told me to try the tree bark and probiotic drink and it did work he is now nearly 7 and (touch wood) has never had a problem since needless to say there is always tree bark powder in out medicine cabinet now

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Did your dog have pro-biotics after it finished the course of anti-biotics? As Tashi said there are many alternatives to the vet prescriped diets that are often much more effective!

yes, after the anti-biotics and has been on a daily dose ever since. He does of course eat all sorts of horrible things on walks, even other dogs poo sometimes which makes me very upset as I think it must make him ill, but the vet doesn't seem to think that's much of an issue. Seems crazy to me, we are not allowed to give him a single tit bit or any other food stuff, are dosing him with pro-biotics and all and then he eats poo!

that is normally because they are lacking in their diet but it cant be doing him any good if I was you I would keep him on lead for now so you can control that not all dogs are wormed properly and is it dog poo he is eating

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Have you considered feeding a raw diet? Eating other dogs poo can mean they are not getting all the nutrients they need from their diet!

Well, considering the main problem as identified by the Vet is food intolerance, and acute diarrhoea, no I have not considered raw diet. During the short periods when he is well, any bits of food he has scooped off the floor have immediately made him ill. To be honest his symptoms are so unpredictable, it's hard to know what is affecting him. I am confused, tired and so not enjoying it anymore............

pretty sure it's dog poo, but it could be cat. He only does it occasionally and always the little ones. I have kept him on the lead for periods of time to break the habit as it were, but it is not what I want ultimately for him........ we live in the country with big garden backing on to a lane leading to open countryside......perfect ....I can't imagine having to keep him on a lead forever, but I take your point that it may be sensible for now. (Have just ordered some tree bark powder, thanks for that!)