# Metronidazole vs boiled chicken and rice?



## Sara momma (Sep 3, 2013)

Hi everyone, I recently purchased a new chi puppy. We've had Lacey for two weeks now. She was 10 weeks old and 2lbs 11ozs when we got her. On the ride home, 2 1/2 hrs, Lacey had diarrhea. By the next day she had soft stools with blood in them. I had planned to have her vet checked anyway and did so that afternoon. My Vet determined that she was in excellent health, her stool came back clean so we attributed the problem to separation stress and he gave me a probiotic to sprinkle on her food.
I notified the breeder of the situation on Tuesday, even though I was feeding the food she had sent us home with the breeder requested that I switch Lacey to boiled chicken and rice, since the pup (in my mind) was to be returned to the breeder in the event of a serious health issue I felt compelled to follow her request even though my Vet had instructed me to keep Lacey on her puppy kibble. 10 days later Lacey's stool looked better, no blood but still with some mucus. I spoke with my Vet since he had mentioned starting her on Metronidazole if the probiotics didn't work. He wanted to hold off on the antibiotic since she did seem to be improving and he was worried about proper dosing for a dog Lacey's size, but he advised me to get her back on kibble as soon as her stool was normal which was 2 days later.
Unfortunately as soon as I started to slowly introduce the kibble blood began to appear in her stool and within two days it was soft again. I called the breeder and she became angry that I was attempting to get the pup back on kibble, she also advised me to not allow the Vet to give the pup Metronidazole and to just keep her on chicken and rice with perhaps some added dog vitamins since the pup seemed to have improved on that diet. She feels that as Lacey matures she may outgrow her sensitive stomach and might tolerate kibble at that time but if not she could stay on chicken and rice indefinitely.
At this point I'm very confused. I will need to see my Vet to continue puppy shots and I'm sure he is going to want her on kibble and probably prescribe the Metronidazole when the blood reappears.
I'd appreciate any advise that forum members could offer. Of course I want to do what's best for Lacey but at this point I'm not sure what that is.
Thanks in advance!


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## ChiChiLove (Feb 4, 2013)

Listen to your vet. In this situation, he's right. If you're seeing blood in the stools, then there is irritation of the lining of the intestines and metronidazole should be used. It is a very safe medication and generally only used for a short course (7-10 days). Also, no dog should stay on chicken and rice indefinitely. It is NOT a balanced diet. Your pups current kibble may not be the right one for her either. Usually with sensitive tummies, it's a matter if trial and error to find what works best.


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## michele (Jan 12, 2009)

I agree with Megan,do what your vet says.Our cat was on metronidazole for years for her IBS with no complications.What kibble are you feeding,usually it's the cheapest stuff breeders use


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## coco_little_bear (May 30, 2012)

I don't know anything about metronidazole so I can't advise you on that, but chicken and rice is not a balanced diet so it's a very strange thing for your breeder to suggest. It's a good thing to feed when a dog is sick (I do that), but it's not suitable indefinitely. 

What kibble are you currently feeding? It could be that it is not agreeing with your pup. My previous chihuahua Coco became sick on kibble and had blood in her stools. After a lot of research, I switched her to the raw diet and the problem went away. I'm not saying you have to go raw, but it could be that she's sensitive to something in the kibble you're feeding and needs to be on a different one. I hope she gets better soon!


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## Wicked Pixie (Oct 14, 2011)

I agree with the others. I would introduce a different kibble (if you want to feed a kibble) preferably one that is meat based, grain free, low in carbs. She cannot stay on chicken and rice indefinitely, but if it is helping for now, that is great, you have a base food you know she can tolerate. Stick with it for now, and introduce any new food very gradually. If she stays well, then you won't need the antibiotics. If she does become ill again she might need them, diarrhoea can be a really serious problem in small puppies. It sounds to me like the move stressed her, and she is no longer tolerating her old food rather than a medical issue though.
Are you in the UK? Quality kibbles available here include Orijen, Acana, Eden, Canagan, Applaws, Millies Wolfheart. All of these are made from quality ingredients, high meat content, no grain. The fewer ingredients the better. 
I also use Tree Barks (Slippery Elm) powder when I see a loose stool, it is a herbal supplement that soothes the gut.
I hope Lacey is feeling better soon. Go with your gut feeling, she is your puppy now. Breeders and vets aren't always right, although your vet has offered you good advice so far IMO.
Also welcome to CP! We would love to see some pics of Lacey


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## Sara momma (Sep 3, 2013)

Thanks for the replies everyone. I was very suspect when the breeder attempted to convince me that chicken and rice with added vitamins was a suitable permanent diet but the breeder kept insisting that Chi's are different. I've owned dogs all my life but never a breed as small as a Chi.

The food the breeder sent home with me is Purina Puppy Chow Healthy Morsels (I'm in the US, Florida). I realized that this wasn't the best food and also purchased a bag of Wellness Small Breed Puppy, Super 5 mix with the intent of switching her over but never got that far. When I reintroduced the kibble I went with the Purina since that is what the breeder was feeding her and I was also scared away a bit by articles I found on the internet that stated high protein foods like Wellness may be to rich for a dog with a sensitive stomach and that dogs such as these usually did better on a food with more grains...does this sound consistent regarding Chi's on the forum w/digestive issues? I would like to get her on Wellness or a comparable food if at all feasible...I'm not a big Purina fan.

Starting last night instead of mixing in a few Purina kibbles which is what I did previously (Lacey picked them out and ignored much of the rice). I wrapped them up in paper towel and crushed them before mixing them in w/the rice and chicken...she ate everything w/great enthusiasm. I've done this for the past 3 feedings and so far her stools are still firm and no blood so I'm hoping I may have found a way to eventually get her back on Purina kibbles. I'm going to give it a few more days to make sure she doesn't have any more issues before calling my Vet. Her stool which well formed now is still very light in color (the color of cooked chicken) but I'm attributing that to the chicken and hope it's not an issue. 

If we do have a problem are there any brands of Kibble available here in the US that you can recommend for sensitive stomachs? I'm sure my Vet sells a prescription diet but I'd like to stick w/something with natural ingredients if at all possible.

Again thank you all for your replies and assistance!!


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## Sara momma (Sep 3, 2013)

Lacey


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## lulu'smom (Jan 4, 2012)

First of all she is just darling!! I'm glad you found this forum. We do happen to have a precious chi with a sensitive tummy who cannot eat rice, so a diet of chicken and rice to settle her tummy would do the opposite. She thrives on a high protein-no grain food called Ziwi Peak (last time I checked). She also eats a food called Stella & Chewys. My point is that chis most certainly can have high protein-no grain foods and do thrive on them. They are no different than any other dog nutritionally. Their protein source should be good meat sources. Their diets should be either PROPER homemade or commercial raw, PROPER homemade (that is very important because as others have said a prolonged diet of chicken and rice is not balanced and will do much harm), or 4 or 5 star commercial kibble. You can study almost every dog food available on a website called dogfoodadvisor.com. I personally would throw away the Purina. I would not even try to give it to her only to change her back off of it to a better food. The Wellness is fine if that's your choice--go ahead and start that. There are plenty of others to try if Wellness doesn't work. Being in the US makes it a little easier on you, but you will have to research what's available in your area and what you may have to order on online if you are willing to do that. Some favorites on this forum are as follows: Commercial raw: Ziwi Peak, Stella & Chewys, The Honest Kitchen. There are lots more if you research. Commercial kibble: Acana, Fromm, Wellness...I'm really not as familiar with kibble as I feed Ziwi Peak and Sojos. I don't think I would put any stock in what the breeder says and unless you are thinking of giving her back I probably would be done with conversation with her. As far as your vet, the only thing I personally would be careful of is any recommendation to put her on food he carries in his office--especially if it's Science Diet. Read the reviews of Science Diet. It isn't much better than Purina if any and much more expensive. It is a 1 star dog food on dogfoodadvisor.com. Study any food you get ready to put her on. Ask question on this site. Anyone will be more than happy to help you with whether it is a good food or not and how to tell.


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## Wicked Pixie (Oct 14, 2011)

Generally it is the grain that causes the issues, so a grain free diet would be the best place to start. Dogs are not designed to eat grain, they are designed to get their energy requirements from the protein and fats found in meat, not carbohydrates. Grain is added to dog foods to bulk them out, they are cheap meat replacements.


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## Sara momma (Sep 3, 2013)

Thanks again for the recommendations and also the warm welcome. We're pretty attached to Lacey so, no she won't be going back to her breeder and, yes I agree further contact with her would be pointless. Instead I appreciate the advice you've all given me, I'll start adding small quantities of the Wellness kibble (again crushed) into her chicken and rice, hopefully I'll be able to get her switched over to kibble only in time. And if the blood reappears I won't hesitate to put her on Metronidazole if my Vet prescribes it. Thanks again and I look forward to participating in the forums and getting to know everyone better


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