Chronic Diarrhea. Hi Dr. Carol, This letter is LONG overdue from me and my mom, and we apologize. My dog “Bruiser” and I want to thank you for all your help in getting me back on the road to a healthy life! Bruiser was diagnosed with Giardia in February 2008 (after many tests for intestinal upset and vomiting and quite a “mess” in our family room). You helped when we could not get the “smell” out of our carpets with your “Elimin Odor”……that spray was a God send, thank you. His specialist vet put him on Metronidazole which helped resolve the loose (to say the least) stools and to rid him of the Giardia parasite.
In the meantime, his Holistic vet had diagnosed Bruiser as being Hypothyroid and put him on Thyroxine and he was on this drug from mid-February through mid-May until I emailed you again being at my wits end with stools that would just NOT FIRM up. I had placed several phone calls to my regular vet, and he had no answers for me. You came through for me yet once again, suggesting I put Bruiser on “Tylan” to cure up the loose stools, which did the trick (for a while).
Yet in the middle of May (after being off the Tylan) his stools became “very soft” again (all the while I had NOT changed his food). You suggested I take him off ALL Thyroid meds and supplements the Holistic vet had him on and only keep him on your Vitalife vitamin supplement; and waited a month and have him retested for Hypothyroidism by my regular vet, as you felt his lingering loose stools could be caused by the Thyroid meds he was on. I did so as I respect your advice.
Once again, you were CORRECT. Bruiser had been misdiagnosed and was NOT Hypothyroid! With his stools still pretty soft by June you suggested I start him on your probiotics and digestive enzymes to get some good bacteria back in his digestive tract from all he had been through since February — I was glad to comply; ANYTHING to get a firm stool from Bruiser!
It is now October, and I can safely tell you that along with your VitaLife vitamin supplement, your probiotics and digestive enzymes Bruiser’s stools have finally normalized and firmed up and are now REGULAR once again.
We can’t thank you enough Dr. Carol!! I also want to thank you for helping me with other vitamin supplements you sent us for Bruiser’s liver condition — he is now a Healthy Happy 12 year old Sheltie thanks to you! He has been on your VitaLife vitamins for over 2 years now and I know this contributes to his overall health.
Thank you for your excellent products, advice, and for personally talking with me by phone time and time again through these past trying months to get Bruiser back on his way to a healthy life!
All my dogs take VitaLife and ALWAYS will! You are our Hero!
NOW, if you could just make a VitaLife for People!! The words “Thank You” don’t seem enough, BUT, We Do Thank YOU!
Sincerely,
Dawn A. and “Bruiser”
Longmont, Colorado
This happened to my dog as well. I was at my wits end trying to find a way to stop my dog’s diarrhea – they said it was probably colitis and to do an elimination diet. I tried everything. The vet said that her medication would not cause this, but I started at the beginning and stopped everything – all medications, and did an elimination diet, got her stool under control and then slowly started the medications and it was the thyroid medication. I then stopped the thyroid medication and her poo went back to normal. I told all this to the vet and they disagreed and said they had never heard of thyroid medication giving a dog diarrhea. My dog is now back to her normal happy self – without thyroid medication. My vet was absolutely no help and actually caused the issue. Originally, the thyroid medication caused her to pant all the time, drink water excessively, urinate more and she was constantly eating. I could tell she was uncomfortable and all the vet said was to maybe cut back on the thyroid medication until she stopped panting. That should have been my first clue. Never again.