Happiness Always,
Carter and June
A- Birds are wonderful pets and most certainly require special handling and care. I owned an Umbrella Cockatoo for over a decade and loved nearly every second of his antics and cleverness. The medicated cleaner that I would recommend is either the blue Nolvasan Solution or the MicrocynAC spray- both are very mild and suitable for use on birds, chickens, dogs, cats, rabbits and horses. Being that you don’t want to spray any animal near his face or his eyes, make sure you apply the solution with a clean, dry Q-tip. Both are safe for use in delicate areas such as the ears, nose, eyes and face, just be thoughtful in application. Thanks for your question!
Q- Hi, Jenn! My partner and I travel extensively throughout the United States for seven months out of the year. While traveling is not new to us, we have recently acquired three rescue dogs. It’s been a bit of a challenge having three pups in a small space but with all our outdoor activities we seem to manage. From time to time, we noticed that the dogs get terrible diarrhea and I wonder if it’s from the water they drink on the trail or them not being used to a different type of water as we go from campground to campground so frequently. Maybe it’s stress? They eat grain free kibble called PureVita and seem to be itch free, do well on it with good quality hair coats. Sometimes it’s difficult to get to laundry facilities as you know and we have been keeping them on and off Imodium A.D. what seems like over a month now. What do you think about this? Suggestions? We look forward to reading your column very much and have used many of your tips that you have shared with other readers & we love the Thousand Trail System.
Cherish Each Day,
Sally and Masha
A- Hello, Fellow Adventurers! It certainly sounds like you have your hands full but you’re making the most of it. I do understand the laundry situation and when we have a dog with a bathroom issue it can be a bit of a challenge. Stress can certainly be a factor to loose stool amongst a myriad of other possibilities. Since one dog contracted the diarrhea and now the others have it and makes me think that you could have a bug of some sort and the matter needs to be addressed by a veterinarian. I do not recommend human drugs to be used on pets without specific instruction from a veterinarian first. Remember that if you’re continually treating some type of problem you’re only masking it with a human drug and a guessing game. You need to take in a fresh fecal sample for a local vet in the area. If you can’t get in first thing in the morning, use a baggie and some type of a tongue depressor for a disposable applicator and scoop up a grass free tablespoon size of waste- put it in the plastic bag and place it in the fridge raider until you can go to the veterinarian. If you do 3 fecals, use different baggies and label each one with the pets name and time the sample was collected. Call ahead and ask if it’s acceptable if you bring in a fresh fecal sample as they may have other specific instructions for you while some veterinarians may only help you if they are also allowed to do a complete physical exam on your pet. Tell the veterinarian how long this incident has been going on and that all three of your dogs now have the same symptoms as this will be helpful information for a proper diagnosis. As far as homeopathic treatments for loose stool, I use organic Slippery Elm powder from GMO free capsules and organic pumpkin to help firm up stools. As a rule of thumb, any diarrhea that lasts more than three days needs veterinary attention. And if your pet has any other symptoms that are abnormal such as lethargy, lack of appetite or vomiting I recommend that you take them in immediately for professional help. I hope our paths cross one day!