side effects from medicine

Baytril is a broad-spectrum antibacterial, which will reduce probiotic activity in your dog's gi.   These bacteria can be replenished through the use of high quality probiotic supplement.  I use this one myself:  NOW 4x6.

A good probiotic:

• Has the levels of bacteria your dog needs, guaranteed.  When you are dealing with an antibiotic-created deficit, anything less than 1 BILLION CFU and you may as well be pouring your supplement on your shoe.  That includes yogurt - really, don't bother, though yogurt is good for other reasons.  :)
• The bacteria that are proven good for dogs predominate.  Acidophilus has the most research behind it - again, with yogurt, yogurt tends to have three to six different types - terrific for people, for dogs not so much.  The NOW product has 2 billion CFU acidophilus.
  
• Is people quality.  This makes it economical - start chucking down your probiotic when you are sick with anything and watch the result.  It even helps when you are stressed out - you'll tend to eat better not reaching for those "comfort foods."

Just to be a bit more "plain" about it -- it's not a side effect of Baytril per se -- BUT because it's a broad-spectrum antibiotic it just plain kills virtually ALL bacteria.

Now there are "good" bacteria that your body needs and SOME of that is in the intestinal tract/gut.  The Baytril has killed the good bacteria and because of that lack, the diarreha happens.

So to split hairs the drug doesn't actually cause the diarreha.  The drug causes a situation to happen in the body which allows the diarreha to happen. 

Your vet missed an income opportunity on this one -- there's a good probiotic that VETS can sell -- it's not even considered "alternative medicine" -- and it's actually made by Purina.  It's called "Forti-flora" -- little packets you add to the food once a day. 

given that it's made by Purina (shudder) it's actually a darned good probiotic and I don't know WHY more vets don't recommend something that only they can sell!!

NOW Brand makes a couple of good probiotics -- my favorite is GR-8-Dophilus (which doesn't require refrigeration which is a huge deal for me).  But NOW is generally a super good company.

Your vet is likely splitting hairs because he doesn't want you to think HE has caused something bad.  But gee whiz -- most of we women have had yeast infections 1 or 30 times in our lives after being on antibiotics -- it's just not rocket science!!

 Just want to add that a probiotic will also help if it's the new food causing the problem. Jessie's allergic to Baytril, but she's allergic to a lot of other stuff too; not likely to be a problem for your dog.

My vet said that probiotics won't really work for dogs.  He said just give her some yogurt.  So where can I buy probiotics quickly, being that I am leaving town, on vacation, with our dog, in a few days?

Any health store usually carries a probiotic -- acidopholus usually works well (and I think you'd find a LOT of us who would disagree and use probiotics regularly when they are warranted).  Don't get a huge one -- a child's is usually sufficient.

 If you're going to be without a fridge, that NOW Brand "Gr-8-Dolphilous" is an easy one that doesn't need refrigeration.  If you go to the NOWfoods.com website they have a locator that will help you find a store near you that carries it. 

Yogurt WILL work -- just don't use one that has aspartame (nutrasweet) in it.

AND -- don't forget with ANY probiotic that you have to give the probiotic at least 2 hours 'off' from the antibiotic or the antibiotic will just kill the probiotic.  So if you give the Baytril at supper give the probiotic at bedtime, etc.