# Mud butt, need some advice!!



## Northwoods10 (Nov 22, 2010)

(DANE MOMMA, hopefully you see this!)
This is my first real experience with SEVERE mud butt. Everyone here has gotten a loose stool or even diarrhea from something a time or two, but its never been something thats gone on for more than a day and this severe. 

Friday night we were loading up our truck for a weekend of dock dogs and these 3 were running around the yard, crazy and excited to go. Remi was his usual self. I took note that him and Nallah pooped before we left. His poop looked fine. We got in the truck and I noticed he was awfully quiet....he's usually up watching out the windows, trying to crawl up front, whiney (he gets excited in the car) and there was none of that. He was curled up in the back seat. I called his name to get up and he was pretty mopey looking and just wanted someone to hold him. Jim had him sit on his lap in the front seat the rest of the way to our friends house and he just slept. I thought maybe he over did it in the sun running around before we left. 

We got to our friends and I brought them all down to the edge of the lawn to go potty in the tall grass and he squatted right away with a lot of farting and liquid diarrhea.  It was quite a bit, and it surprised me. He seemed to perk up a bit after that and seemed fine the rest of the night, no accidents and no asking to go out. Again, I attributed it to too much running around in the heat. 

Saturday morning I took him out and again, lots of farting and liquid. This went on all day. I had already fed him his breakfast (ground beef & some beef heart) before I had taken him outside so it was too late to fast him. We were at a dock dogs event and you could tell he just wasn't into it. He's normally very excited and amped up. I'd say he probably pooped there about 6 times throughout the day and it was all the same color liquid and very very smelly & gassy. 

Last night I was starting to think ok...he's had diarrhea for 24 hours now.....we need to start figuring out what to do here. He drank plenty of water during the day yesterday so that was good. No vomiting. I called our vet for advice, and they suggested a bland diet for 3-4 days of rice & boiled beef or chicken. (Of course...they know he's on raw). And no exercise or being out in the sun, get some rest. If he still had diarrhea by Monday they wanted a sample brought in for testing. She seemed to think stress related colitis or something. Possibly from the heat?

He hasn't eaten anything out of the normal this week or the days leading up to it. He had a turkey neck for dinner Thursday night and beef heart Friday morning. A chicken back friday night before we left home. He's done just fine with all of those things in the past, only thing is he may of gotten a little too much beef heart friday morning with his normal ground beef. ???? Thats a big maybe. 


I am a little hesitant to give him a lot of raw for some reason right now, and I kind of want some advice as to what I should do. He ate a chicken drumstick with the skin removed last night just so he had SOMETHING in his belly since he competed all day. I didn't want to fast him last night. This morning he had a few licks of pumpkin and yogurt but wasn't interested in that. I know if I gave him raw he'd eat it no problem. 

Should I fast him until tonight and give him bone in chicken??? 

Anyone got any ideas as to what might be going on??? The heat has never bothered him before, but I do realize that sometimes they can get runny poop from exercising in the heat, its just never lasted this long with the girls before. He seems tired, he's sleeping now next to me. I'm sure this has taken a lot out of him. We were supposed to compete today but obviously I don't want him sitting in the sun and jumping if he's feeling like crap.  My poor boy. I hate when they don't feel good, I wish they could tell us whats up. 

TIA


----------



## CavePaws (Jan 25, 2011)

Well, I'd say this is a coincidence because I've been plagued with cannon butt for the past few days. :| We fed the pups some chicken necks that were a little off and EVERY one of them has had some realllllllllllllyyyyyy bad muddy poop. I've been overdoing the beef heart, myself as well. The pups were eating beef heart every day so I'm sure this couldn't have helped the situation. Anywho, Tuesday they ate the off chicken necks with some beef heart. Wednesday morning they all have the worst runs ever so I skip feeding until that night, give them some chicken necks for dinner. Thursday, bad bad bad accidents all over the house so I decide to fast them for a full 24 hours. Friday, they have 1/4 of a Turkey neck each. Things look to be firming up Saturday morning, no accidents, 1 turkey neck each. No accidents and firmer poop on Saturday. This morning I gave them each a turkey neck and a half. Now their poops are around 80% the firmness they should be. 

ANYWAY. It took me what seemed like FOREVER to get the dogs out of their cannon-butt situation after one bag of off smelling chicken necks. I've learned my lesson completely, definitely not feeding any off smelling meat any more. I'd say fast Remz a full 24 hrs if he hasn't already been fasted that long and then cut a turkey neck in half and give him half after the fast. 

I read somewhere that Turkey is a "cooler" meat than chicken and will help rest the inflamed GI tract. I have absolutely no clue if their is any scientific reasoning behind that claim...But I switched from chicken necks to turkey necks after fasting and the dogs are doing better. Sending some soothing tummy vibes your way!


----------



## Northwoods10 (Nov 22, 2010)

Thanks Kel!!

I'm sorry your crew got that plague too!! One is bad enough!! 

Luckily he hasn't had any accidents in the house or in his crate, so hopefully he's doing better tomorrow b/c I will have leave him crated for about 4 hours in the morning. 

UGHHH he just let out a fart and its soooo stinky!! 

I think I will fast him until tomorrow morning- and try the turkey neck. Hope your crew is feeling better soon too.


----------



## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

i think fasting and maybe no dock dogs for a few days...to let whatever plagues him...get out of his system...

my dogs have had that kind of diarrhea and the cause has usually been heart....and in your case, maybe a little over heated, over enthused, over whatever....

i so wish they could talk.


----------



## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

I'm sure there is an over abundance of bacteria out there from the heat these days, (wish we had a little bit of it) if he starts to go off his food then I'd look at giardia. Also, this is one reason I don't feed ground anything besides tripe and not to say it is the cause but it can harbor bacteria more easily than not. Hopefully he is feeling better soon.


----------



## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

i think i read that you bought beef and pork heart....right?

so combine that with exertion to the max and sun and heat, and maybe.....that is your cause.....

maybe you need to fast and give a little bone and stop feeding ground meat if you can....

i hope he feels better...

what's going on with these dogs.....? i say, knock it off, pups....no more.


----------



## Northwoods10 (Nov 22, 2010)

He got beef heart. I don't have access to any other boneless beef (besides heart) that isn't ground. I can get boneless pork chunks that are not ground, maybe I will try those next order. I can also get pork heart but I have not tried that yet. 

He's not doing any dock dogs until 2 weeks from now. We were supposed to go next weekend but we had already decided earlier this week that 3 weeks in a row was too much. 

I'm guessing its a combination of things, maybe too much heart, the heat and too much excitement. 

Since he hadn't eaten much of anything today and barely anything last night I went ahead and fed him a part of a turkey neck. He was REALLY excited when I put that down for him and gobbled it right up. He hasn't asked to go outside and he hasn't pooped since mid afternoon....so they're starting to get more spaced out. I think he's finally coming out of it. 

If he's still having diarrhea tomorrow I will bring in a sample for Tuesday. 

Thanks everyone!!


----------



## richie (Jan 30, 2011)

Giardia was the first thing that came to my mind too - luckily it can be tested for, and treated, if the problem persists. Of course, like others suggested it could have been heat stress, but this is the time of year when parasites like giardia and other nasties abound. Ponds or streams where beavers live are often infested, and if your dog drinks out of these waters that could be the culprit. Giardia is contagious and can be also easily spread from dog to dog. 

I am surprised to hear people suspect the heart -- my Westie eats beef heart every day -- I can't resist paying $.99 a pound for red meat and it her favorite food by far. She also gets lots of other stuff but even on all-heart days hasn't had a problem with it.


----------



## Northwoods10 (Nov 22, 2010)

I'll for sure keep an eye on things, if it persists into tomorrow I'll be bringing a sample in for testing.

I think it was being suspected it may be the heart because he's "new" to heart. He has only been having heart the last month or so, and I've been gradually increasing the amount over the weeks. He's getting about half heart and half beef or pork for morning meals. I thought maybe he just got too much heart for breakfast and that might have done it. 

We will see if he goes again tonight, what it looks like and how he does tomorrow. I'll be keeping it simple for a while.


----------



## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

how is he feeling today?


----------



## Northwoods10 (Nov 22, 2010)

No poop since about 4 PM yesterday!! YAY!! 

I had to leave for work at 6:45, so he's been crated since then. I will go home at noon to check on him-hopefully no accidents. 

He got another portion of turkey neck this morning...and ate that like he was starving. I'll increase his dinner by a few ounces tonight and see how he does. 

Fingers crossed for no mud butt when I go home...


----------



## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

well, there ya go....


----------



## Northwoods10 (Nov 22, 2010)

No mess in his crate at lunch time and no poop. I let him outside to potty 3 different times on my break and he didn't have the urge to go so I think its safe to say he's kicked it!! 

:becky: 

Thanks guys for the help!!


----------



## minnieme (Jul 6, 2011)

Northwoods10 said:


> No mess in his crate at lunch time and no poop. I let him outside to potty 3 different times on my break and he didn't have the urge to go so I think its safe to say he's kicked it!!
> 
> :becky:
> 
> Thanks guys for the help!!


Glad to hear he's doing okay -- being a fellow Wisconsinite, we feel your pain about the heat and humidity. Here in Madison, it reached 105 w/ severe humidity for most of last week. I just posted a topic about my girl having similar mud butt and I'm wondering if it's a combo of heat + Giardia or some other nasty too...

Fingers crossed they feel better and STAY better!

-Jill and Minnie the Great Dane


----------



## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

Sorry I'm late to the party! I've been busy all weekend in a training seminar....glad to hear that he is on the mend. 

Its hard to pinpoint what could have caused it. I wouldn't try and blame anything because it could have been just something in the yard. You never know, so it doesn't make sense to think about it too much. But I would have a fecal test done to rule out any bugs because at this point in the game it's still a possibility.


----------



## Northwoods10 (Nov 22, 2010)

WOW!! 

I can't believe how thin he got after just a couple days of not feeling well.  

I've been giving him smallish meals until I knew he was feeling better completely and last night he woke me up at 2 AM with a bile puke. He was under the covers with me and I don't think I've moved that fast EVER!! LOL I got him out of the covers and was able to grab a towel before he puked. Whew! 

Brought him downstairs for a few minutes to let his tummy settle down then I gave him about 4 oz of beef b/c thats all I had out. He had gotten plenty of bone in the last 2 days anyways. That seemed to help him. This morning he was RAVENOUS for breakfast. 

I can see all of his ribs and feel his little hip bones. Poor little man! That took a lot out of him. 

Today at lunch time he had his first poop since Sunday afternoon. I kind of expected it to take a while since he probably had nothing left to poop! It was PERFECT!! :smile: 

I'll increase his meal a little bit tonight and maybe try a full size meal tomorrow morning. Gotta put some weight back on that boy! You can tell that sparkle is back in his eye though, he's full of pi$$ and vinegar again!! LOVE IT! :laugh:


----------



## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

Glad to hear things are on the mend. I wouldn't worry too much about the weight loss, he will get it back fast. How is he doing now?


----------



## Northwoods10 (Nov 22, 2010)

Doing great, haven't had any signs of illness again. He had another perfect poop this morning. 

:smile:


----------



## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

awesome, i think you're over the hump!


----------

