Lynn
Posted : 6/1/2007 10:47:15 PM
Callie and Jessies mom,
nope...it's not a centipede. There are only three, maybe four, defined segments. They maybe only had a few sets of legs - not a whole bunch.
See, I know what tapeworms look like, but I don't know what any other bugs might look like 'outside the body'. I realize I sound off the wall about these bugs being maybe from the dog- but can't help it.
It's harder to do a capillary test on him b/c his gums are blackish. His sister's is bright pink, but his is more pale/black. The capillary test: it does fill back in, tho not as fast as his sisters does. But, soon enough that I don't think it's an emergency b/c I think his gums tend to stay pale anyway.
OK: two more thoughts: Maybe there are two seperate issues going on:
1) the food was the food I cooked last Friday and I got on here whining b/c it had been on the stove for about 4 hours and b/c the pan was soooo big, there was a section of meat that didn't get cooked at all. I ended up putting it back on and re-heating.
Both dog's poops are the same color - so really, what is going on with one is going on with the other - I think it is maybe a tad worse with him (but he eats more).
So, maybe this last batch of food upset both of their tummies? I made a new 1/2 batch tonight - no more pots that are too big for the stovetop. I had also added more meat this las ttime - when it didn't all get cooked at first---but they have had this amount of meat before. However, I had been doing about 60% meat, and I upped it to about 70% b/c my boy was so hungry all the time and I am trying to put weight on him. I am feeding him at 3 1/2% of body weight PLUS adding a dollop of ricotta cheese plus an egg yolk. So, I wanted to skip the egg yolk and cheese for a round and I upped the meat instead.
I don't think it was the amount of meat really, But, maybe the fact that some of it sat too long w/o being heated? Could this make their stools dark? Or maybe the combination of the two?
If this is the case and it caused gastrointestinal distress, then can he still do the dental Monday morning?
2) bugs: Oh, the bugs seemed to be in her poop as well, just not nearly as bad. We are having an exceptionally bad year for no rains - the second worst since they started keeping records. Could the drought bring up unusal bugs and this be the answer?
The thing that bothers me is there were so many babies mulling about and I just don't see now that many babies could travel from somewhere else to the poop.
---> I doubled baged the poop and left it outside my garage. I couldn't possible face going thru it tonight. I don't know if any bugs would survive till tomorrow or how I could catch one. Don't even think the vets would know what it was, anyway.
There won't be another fresh poop opportunity until tomorrow evening since they both went tonight. I will, of course, insepcet all fresh poops as well as I can.
I will be informing you guys what I find and if you have any more ideas --- please let me know.
(Callie - my itchies are all gone after the shower except my hair - I didn't wash it tonight b/c I'm tired. I did take 3 Calm's Forte a few minutes ago so I hope my head will quit itching now!)
---> I have this little device that gently sucks up small bugs to release outside. Spiders, fine (most, anyway). Crickets, fine. Did about a dozen two nights ago. Don't like wood cockroaches a bit, but I can deal with them. Not crazy about snakes, but can watch one slide by.
But, strange bugs in dog poop? That's just super creepy to me.