My dog, Bentley, is a little spoiled fluff ball. He is a Yorkie/Maltese/Pom mix and is eight years old. He is a very little 2 1/2 lbs. Not only is he very cute and little, but he is also high-maintenance and sensitive.

When I went on a trip for 4 days, I had my dad look after Bentley and my other dog Charlie. My dad also has a dog, and the three of them get along just fine, going for walks and playing together. I thought that it would be a great four day holiday for my dogs. Boy was I wrong.When I got back from my trip, my dad dropped off the dogs. He informed me that on the last day that he had Bentley, he started to have some runny, slightly bloody poop. Bentley has a sensitive stomach to any foods other than his own dog food, but my dad informed me that he made sure Bentley only ate his own food.

The vet and I concluded that my high-maintenance, little doggy is extremely sensitive and very easily stresses out.

For the next two days, Bentley’s poop became runnier and bloodier. And pretty much explosive (picture splashes of dark bloody poop a foot up the wall). I took him to the 24-hour animal ER and they gave me some antibiotics (metronidazole – which is apparently not only an antibiotic to kill any bugs but also calms the tummy). The next day, I also took him to our veterinarian for stool testing. They gave me “gastro” wet dog food, probiotics, and canned pumpkin (easily digestible and massages the insides), all to take along with the antibiotics. After two weeks of this protocol, his stomach issues finally resolved.

In the meantime, his testing came back, which was negative for bacteria. The vet and I concluded that my high-maintenance, little doggy is extremely sensitive and very easily stresses out. Being away from his home and his mom, stressed him out so badly, that he had a horrible bout of stress-induced diarrhoea.

Now, I only leave him with sitters that can stay at my house so that he is in his own environment ( a big help to relieve the stress of me leaving). And I have the “gastro” wet dog food and canned pumpkin on hand in case his poops ever become runny or slightly bloody again. So for any dog owner with sensitive fur-babies, try some pumpkin and vet-recommended wet food (your dog will love it!).