Dog with loose bowels

Hi, we got Lucy (a terrier/staffie cross) just over a week ago (she's roughly 3 years old). first few days were perfect!

For last few days she's developed really loosed bowels (have exchanged lunchtime food for dry - needs three times a day as severely underweight), has itchy feet (treating with antifungal cream and antihitamine) and this morning (on her second walk of the day) fought with 2 dogs - she's been to various places in the last week and not fought with anything!

Also had two episodes of soiling in the kitchen overnight (she sleeps upstairs so assuming she tried to get out as it was just by the back door!) and I feel like it's all going a bit wrong!

She seems really quite skitish and unsettled today - am really worried that this is her "normal"! And not sure what to do! Any advice would be more than welcome

First time Doggy Mum!

Could the change in food be causing allergies?
Hence the tummy problems and itchy feet

If she was abused and starved before, she could be very skittish at the moment after having messed and thinks she will be reprimanded for it, You are not letting her off lead yet are you? If so, don't, keep her on lead and away from other dogs, maybe enrol in some training classes so she can get used to other dogs in a controlled way, She feels unsettled and unsure of herself I imagine, I would while her tummy is poorly set my alarm to wake in the night to let her out.

Ps don't give yourself a hard time taking on a rescue with problems is hard already without it being your first doggy x x

Just love her and hope her trust in you grows, she will feel more secure once your bond grows x x

It can take up to three months or more for a rescue to settle. Shes maybe been homed before & back into rescue or passed from one home to another so at present shes just waiting for the inevitable - to be passed on again!

As for the soiling, take her out more often, stay with her until she goes & then a big big fuss - clever girl etc as you would a pup. In the house just clear up what she does with no fuss. As someone else says break her night up by getting up & letting her out

If bowels are loose - what are you feeding & did you just start a new food? As you need gradual introductions esp with dogs who are sensitive. If loose she wont have the mecessary control that she normally would, think when you are loose yourself - if you 'need' to go, you gotta go. Combined with stressful time for her (rehoming) its all a bit much at present, however it will settle

Thanks for the advice - re: bowels - we take her out at least twice a day, and I do sit with her in the garden for as long as it takes... Last night we had the same old routine, she went for a wee (I think) and pottered back inside... When I woke up at about 4.30am (to go for a wee ironically) I found the little mess(es) - she looked very sorry for herself and I just tidied up and cleaned with no fuss (to her or the still snoozing husband! lol). Have put a little antifungal on her paws as this seems to be a common cause of itch (have done her back ones and left the front to see if there's any improvement) and given her a piriton... It seems to have given her some respite from the irritation at least.

Have been reading about "making your own" dog food (as I wondered if she was allergic to something) - do any of you do this? Or is it not really worth it? Currently on pedigree dry chicken food three times a day (small wet can I thought might have been the culprit re: runny bottom but am doubting that now as stopped it quite a few days ago)...

Pedigree is pedalled as a great food as its on the ads and sponsors stuff but in truth it is a very poor food, being a itchy girl she will need a good grain free food, try looking through these and choosing in the left bar grain free and then search through x

http://www.whichdogfood.co.uk/dog-food-directory.php

thanks for that link - we'll be off to buy some grain free stuff today then! guess we can donate the pedigree to the rescue kennels!

I hope you find something that works for her bless her, Naturediet is available most places its wet food in trays, cheaper online though, at the mo I am using applaws and naturediet, applaws is cheap at viovet at the moment online, compared to pets at home prices x

Remember - if introducing a new food do it gradually over 3/5 days