u/Comeongethappy5

How long did it take your senior dog to stop drinking like crazy after starting a new dry food?

My senior chihuahua/terrier cross started Purina Proplan HA dry food 3 weeks ago (she had previously been on the PPP HA wet food mixed with Royal Canin selected protein, but the vet wanted her on a fully Hydrolyzed diet.)

I know there can be a transition phase, so I’m wondering how long it took your dog to get used to a new dry food, if ever?

I’m at such a loss at this point on what to do for my girl.

A little history: Luna is a 12 year old chihuahua/terrier mix. She has struggled with bouts of diarrhea her whole life, but in the last two months it’s almost non-stop. We’ve been to the vet numerous times, and her bloodwork all looks good.

She is currently on a round of antibiotics and anti-nausea medications for her last bout of diarrhea and vomiting 3 days ago, but this morning she threw up a little food and a lot of yellow mucus vomit. We’re taking her back to the emergency vet today. She has an appointment with an internal specialist, but it’s not for two weeks, and her regular vet said we shouldn’t wait that long for her to be seen again.

Recently, we’ve noticed that she has enlarged lymph nodes in her armpits, and possibly in her neck as well.

I’m wondering if these two things could be connected. I plan on asking for an ultrasound, and am wondering if that would be likely to show if she has lymphoma, which has been my concern after going down way too many rabbit holes.

Any advice on what to expect/ ask for testing-wise, would be greatly appreciated.

TLDR: Our 12 year old dog has enlarged lymph nodes and won’t stop vomiting/having diarrhea. What can I expect at the emergency vet?

Thank you!
Signed,
A dog mom who is losing it.

Please help! I have no idea what to do any more.

My dog is a 12 year old chihuahua terrier mix (we rescued her 10 years ago, so we don’t know any of this for sure). About a year after we adopted her, she started having recurring diarrhea. It started out happening once a month or so, but would sometimes happen once a week.

This went on for many years (and has involved numerous vet and emergency vet visits), without any real answers. She has seen multiple vets, all offering different medications that work briefly.

About a year and a half ago, she was put on a Hydrolyzed diet, which actually worked really well. During the next 18 months, she only had diarrhea twice, and both times, we chalked it up to stress, because we were on vacation.

Unfortunately, that lovely span of time came to an end 2 months ago, and Luna has had weekly diarrhea (and one bout of vomiting) every week. It has been exhausting, expensive, and disheartening. I work from home, so I’m on watch 24/7 to see if she runs for the door. We went to a new vet Monday, but haven’t gotten the results of her bloodwork yet. They put her on a new Hydrolyzed dry food (which arrives today), and a new probiotic, which she’s been taking for 3 days. we also have Proviable paste to try to firm up her stools. But we’ve been through all of this before.

She also refuses to drink water on her own. I have to sneak it into her food.

Please, if anyone has experience with something like this, what are we missing? I feel like we’ve tried everything at this point, and I don’t know what to do anymore.

Please help! I have no idea what to do any more.

My dog is a 12 year old chihuahua terrier mix (we rescued her 10 years ago, so we don’t know any of this for sure). About a year after we adopted her, she started having recurring diarrhea. It started out happening once a month or so, but would sometimes happen once a week.

This went on for many years (and has involved numerous vet and emergency vet visits), without any real answers. She has seen multiple vets, all offering different medications that work briefly.

About a year and a half ago, she was put on a Hydrolyzed diet, which actually worked really well. During the next 18 months, she only had diarrhea twice, and both times, we chalked it up to stress, because we were on vacation.

Unfortunately, that lovely span of time came to an end 2 months ago, and Luna has had weekly diarrhea (and one bout of vomiting) every week. It has been exhausting, expensive, and disheartening. I work from home, so I’m on watch 24/7 to see if she runs for the door. We went to a new vet Monday, but haven’t gotten the results of her bloodwork yet. They put her on a new Hydrolyzed dry food (which arrives today)- Purina Proplan HA, and a new probiotic, which she’s been taking for 3 days. we also have Proviable paste to try to firm up her stools. But we’ve been through all of this before.

She also refuses to drink water on her own. I have to sneak it into her food.

Please, if anyone has experience with something like this, what are we missing? I feel like we’ve tried everything at this point, and I don’t know what to do anymore.