In the course of picking it up, you can't help but observe it's, shall we say, integrity. The consistency of Clover's efforts went from soft serve to slurpy.
Being a puppy and all, the first thing suspected is worms. Clover is now five months old, she's been wormed, dewormed, her poop examined for wormage. There's a parasite called Giardia that is hard to see -even if you whip it around in a centrifuge and look at it under a microscope. The veterinarian explained that the presence of Giardia is so difficult to confirm that you must get three negatives to diagnosis it. (Should that be three positives?)
The vet also perkily exclaimed that LaGuardia is why you don't drink the water in Mexico.
Clover was given some medicine called Metronidozole that smells like bacon. The condition of her bowel movements vastly improved. Once the medication was gone, her poop grew loose.
Periodic diarrhea is the hallmark of VincentGardenia, Perky Vet informed. Thus, here comes another course of bacon flavored medicine. Happily, Clover enjoyed having the liquid Metronidozole squirted into her mouth. The other dogs seemed to want some too. It's true about bacon and dogs. Even if it's artificial bacon in what the vet techs call a suspension.
Clover, to her credit, did not taunt them with bawk bawk bawk.
We went through this unpleasant cycle of good poop/bad poop till Perky Vet was forced to announce that maybe the problem isn't Gargantua at all. It could be that Clover is allergic to her food. It's a common problem, usually they grow out it. In fact, Perky Vet checked the online message boards and found some 1500 dog owners living this same bowel adventure. Even they're saying that most dogs grow out of it!
Meanwhile we must try different food. Usually it's the protein source that's the problem (though some dogs are allergic to wheat. Reassuringly, most dog foods don't contain wheat). Fine. Clover has been eating a chicken and rice food, we'll switch to lamb and rice and see if that helps.
Here we go again. The other dogs notice that Clover is getting a different food. They again want to know, what gives?
Clover, to her credit, bawk bawk bawked just a little.
In addition to different food, we've added Probiotics. Wait, the dog food contains probiotics. Won't that do? No. Perky Vet has a special probotic with a dash of keopectate in chewable form that tastes good. It may not be suspended bacon, but the other dogs are yet again asking, what gives?
And there's another cycle in the wind.
