Charlie had a rough week since we got home from camping last weekend. At first I thought she was just tired out from too much activity.
But then she had diarrhea. And then she wouldn't eat her dinner. She had no energy.
Not eating is a HUGE red flag for me because Charlie loves to eat. Thursday's breakfast was picked over and by dinnertime, she would only eat the broccoli pieces.
Later that evening I found vomit in the yard containing her entire breakfast; it was not digested at all.
The previous weekend she had spent so much time in a new body of water and had been chewing on rotten tree roots (slimy & black), perhaps she picked up some weird bacteria and got her digestive system out of whack. Charlie has been known to have a touchy digestive system, but her previous almost-daily vomiting had completely stopped when we switched to a fresh/raw diet over 6 months ago.
Since I've enrolled in my Clinical Pet Nutritionist program and my first assignment consists of a book on Natural/Holistic remedies for common ailments, I quickly looked up her symptoms to figure out what to do.
After reading ahead a few chapters, I found what I was looking for and headed to our local health store - Wausau Wellness Center. I presented my list and showed the store owner my book; she knew exactly what I needed.
A few minutes later I left the store armed with Slippery Elm powder, Nux vomica 30C and some probiotics. I started Charlie on the Nux vomica 30C when I got home since you're supposed to administer that without food and then the next morning I gave her the Slippery Elm powder and a capsule of the probiotics in her breakfast (to be taken with food).
Amazingly she seems almost completely back to normal by this evening - after just one dose! I'm amazed. And since my book recommends giving dogs a regular probiotic, Charlie and I are going to start taking these regularly from now on. You heard that right - we're both taking the same supplement.
I highly recommend that you talk to a holistic vet or an expert at your local health food store to find out what home remedies you may be able to use for yourself or your pet... you might be surprised!
