New here and really need advice

Hello I'm new here and I really need advice. I got a rescue dog from a dog sanctuary but he's had a bad start. He was bald, he'd skin leasions and he had the mange mites. His immunity was zero and he was only 5kg when they got him in January. The thing is since we've had him we've given him the rice treatment that was told by the vet to do for his first bout of the runs. Now after being on normal softened meal his runs have come back and he's also got red blood spots in it too. Is there anything I can do to help him until I get the money up to take him to the vet. We're at our wits end

Hi Emma and welcome to Dogsey.

Firstly if your dog has bloody diarrhoea you really should see a vet, he could have an infection . You say you got your dog in January, how many bouts of diarrhoea has he had, as he was in such a poor condition has the vet tested a sample for internal parasites, is he vaccinated against Parvo Virus, how long has he been on the rice and did you mix anything with it (chicken/fish), has he been wormed since you got him, what 'meal' are you feeding him and what other things is he eating.

I would go back to feeding well cooked white rice with a little cooked chicken or white fish mixed in and feed just a couple of tablespoons four or five times a day. He should not be taken off the rice until you have had two days with firm clear poo, then reintroduce normal food gradually over a number of days by mixing it with the rice.

I don't mean to be rude but should you have got a dog if you cant afford vets fees?
Is there a PDSA veterinary centre anywhere nearby? They offer free vets treatments and you either donate a percentage if you can or you pay nothing. They are very friendly as far as i am told and do not judge.
Also i would suggest getting him insured asap, it may be a regular outgoing payment but its much less hassle and less stress when something happens.

Hi Kirsty , please note this member is somewhere in Northern Ireland so not sure if the PDSA is available to them (and you need to be in receipt of benefits anyway).

Considering the state the dog was in I think insurance might be difficult to get because of prexisting conditions and the premium may be high.


Emma well done you for taking this poor dog on....

The animal sanctuary got the dog in January, we only received him just over a week ago. He's had two bouts of the runs and we've given him rice for 3 days then on the third we gave him rice with a little chicken the first time he'd the runs. We rang the sanctuary we got him from and they told us the vet gave him the all clear after his treatment for mange mites and he's been tested for parvo and had all the innoc's he's supposed too before we took him. The first bout of the runs started the day after the sanctuary gave him his booster shot. We live in northern ireland in a little town called balloo.

Didn't notice that but i also didn't realise PDSA was mainland UK only.

yes there are a number in NI I just looked.

If he reacted to the chicken, then try fish with the rice. Coley is fairly inexpensive.
He will be stressed anyway being in a new place, so that could also be causing the looseness. Is he drinking enough? I`d keep him quiet and provide water for a while, and offer a very bland diet. Maybe the Sanctuary could advise?

I would treat him for worms to cover that aspect, see what they fed him at the rescue, a change of diet could set off runny poo's. You have only had him a week, dogs when changing environments can get stressed and that can cause it also, he may have a food allergy, which can be a process of elimination and/or he could have other issues. If there is blood in them, I would be looking at taking him to the vet when you can and giving him the once over as well.
Hopefully things improve xx

I think I'll take him to the vets in killinchy next week when I get paid to get him majorally checked out. I'd rather know for myself if there's anything encase the sanctuary was keeping anything from us about rufus.