Treatment for diarrhea while on Azathioprine and Preds for Imha

[Ellie]

Can I safely give Immodium to my dog while she is being treated with high dose Azathioprine and Prednisone. Flagyl appeared to work at first but now diarrhea is getting worse.

[AmyE]

I would try sweet potato first. it must be baked in the oven so that it reduces the water content. It works wonders. I would do that before adding another medication.They can have as much as they want of it.
AmyE

[Ellie]

Would that be yam as opposed to sweet potato? Or would pumpkin work also? Just asking as I have that in the house right now. Thanks for your help.

[Patrice]

Ellie,
Canned plain pumpkin, about a tbls, works fine for either diarrhea or constipation.
My best Patrice

[AmyE]

Pumpkin actually has too much water and doesn’t work as well as the actual potato itself. Yam and sweet potato both are fine make sure you bake or roast it so you reduce the water content of the potato.

[Vally]

Ellie, if you have the pumpkin in the house, I’d use it. Dr Jean Dodds has always suggested pumpkin too. You can do, as Amy suggests, and bake it first. I always just steamed it and added it to Bingo’s food. Don’t do too much at once though.

Dr Jean quotes on her Resource Blog:

“The bottom line
If your dog or cat suffers from mild to moderate diarrhea, and your veterinarian has ruled out a serious underlying medical condition, the soluble fiber found in pumpkin may help relieve the symptoms. Just be sure to introduce it slowly and feed it in moderation. Also, encourage your pet to drink plenty of fresh water. Proper hydration is important in helping soluble fiber do its job.”

Sweet potatoes, I don’t know why they have so many names. The orange one is the one to use. I think that is a yam, we call them (in Australia) a kumara.

Regards, Vally

[Ellie]

Thanks all for your advice. My girl got through the long weekend with the use of dietary management. Tuesday we were set up to see our vet and that is when her diarrhea worsened dramatically.
There was a mild hemorragic componant. We suspected that the high prednisone dose is the cause, but our vet team is not comfortable with more than a small reduction in dose yet.
So, back on Flagyl, Proviable, Sucralfate and diet of small meals of i/d and rice only for a couple of weeks to let her gut heal. I’m so relieved that she is dramatically better, turned around within 24 hours!
Verdict on Immodium is do NOT give if dog is an a debilitated condition (and of course MDR1 gene mutation negative/negative).

[Vally]

Hi Ellie, I’m really happy to hear she’s improved so much.

Make sure the Sucralfate is given 2 hours away from food and meds. Best time is last thing at night, to give it the night to work.

Regards, Vally