Advice on diarrhea!

Hi - I don't post very often but read this forum regularly and have great respect for the knowledge imparted!

Daisy is prone to a sensitive tummy and eats Purina EN which I am not sure is in the UK but it is the same as Hill ID.

Saturday night she was sick ALOT for about 4 hours, then settled down and slept through and was fine, Sunday she was back to normal, totally fine tonnes of energy etc. Took her for a short walk and limited food to little and often etc.

Sunday night 2am she started with diarreah and it has been every 3-4 hours since. It is watery but some bits slightly formed (sorry for the graphic description). No blood.

She is eating and drinking fine, I am just giving her small meals of canned EN and pasta to try to firm it up, we have given a bit of pepto bismol, but she hates it.

Questions - how much is too much pasta, I was giving a small handful, should I try something else to try to firm her stool up?

How much pepto bismol, I was trying a spoonful every 6-7 hours? she is 52lbs?

If she hasn't improved by later, ie: waiting longer to go and more formed poop I will call my vet, I hate taking her as she gets very stressed and sometimes I wonder if that just doesn't make everything worse.

I think this is a bug that is just working its way through her system. Any thoughts on what else I can do to help her.

We seem to have a bit of a tummy bug going around dogs over here in the UK so hopefully it's "just" a bug with your doggy.
Generally the protocol for sickness or diarroeah here is to starve the dog for about a day - to give the tummy a break. Then start with small, light meals like a little bit of cooked chicken or fish (pick one to stick with) and feed this for a day or two. You can then try adding rice or pasta to bulk it out a little, then after a few days, slowly introduce their regular diet.
My GSD Casper was quite poorly over Christmas, diarroeah but also vomiting a lot. I ended up popping him to the vets (out of hours, thanks Casper ) and he had an anti-sickness jab to make him feel better - this was also part of a diagnostic method, if it was just a bug then he should stop being sick, but if it was a blockage or similar, he would probably continue to be sick and would have to be rushed back in for x-rays. Thankfully it did the job and after a course of antibiotics and sticking to chicken for a few days, he was fine.
I personally would skip the pepto bismol, if she really doesn't like it then the stress of trying to get her to take it will probably do more harm than any benefits of giving it to her.

Thanks for the advice, think you are right on the pepto bismol...

I will keep up with the little and often feeding, she is definately hungry and drinking and apart from the squits you wouldn't know there was anything wrong, lots and lots of energy! I continued with the EN canned only as it is for sensitive tums and gentle on her, plus she doesn't do well with food changes/switches etc...

Arrrrr it so hard to know what to do I will watch her closely, any change for the worse and she will be at the vets...

Pasta is not terribly good for the squits

Lectade (or similar electrolytes)
Live Yoghurt
Banana
Slippery Elm food

Smokeybear - What do you know about natural yeast extract tablets Our vet suggested these for our Bara as she has a very sensitive tummy and often had diareah (Sp?)

They are available over the counter and for humans too so I don't think there's anything nasty with them and they have helped Bara.

The vet probably advised them because of their Vitamin B content which can be stripped via the squits.

Thanks, she certainly seems a happier dog since we've been using them.

Well poor Daisy dog doesn't seem to be getting over the squits

I am going to try starving her for 24 hrs, then tonight I will begin with a small amount of chicken and rice and see if that works. If it stays in etc I will continue with that for a few days and pray for normal poop!!!

I am going to call my vet today and make an appointment for tomorrow just incase this doesn't work. And also see if they have any other suggestions.

She isn't dehydrated, she is totally fine in herself, I am limiting her activity etc and am watching her closely, I spoke to her daycare place y'day, seems a few dogs have stayed home sick this week, which suggests a bug!!

I will let you know if the starvation diet works for us!

Thanks

Poor Daisy - hope she gets back to normal soon.

You have my sympathies, my two have the same sort of thing by the sound of it, it's a multi-cultural bug obviously , the last day or so they've been having scrambled egg in the morning then chicken and rice a few times throughout the day and the improvement is very noticeable.