Diarrhea in dogs and puppies
- Diarrhea in dogs what to do?
- Diarrhea in puppies what to do?
- What to do in case of diarrhea in dogs?
diarrhea in dogs may be of different origin, diarrhea in dogs can be parasitic, viral, bacterial or even food. The most common case is that of a dog that has eaten a foreign body on the outside.
In this specific case diarrhea in dogs is not accompanied by fever or signs of fatigue, in short your dog will be as you usually know him, he will be lively and will always eat with the same appetite. This diarrhea in dogs is parasitic diarrhea. More often than not, it must be treated with dewormers , which you can find at pet stores or from your veterinarian. Parasitic-type dog diarrhea is easily treated and is more common in puppies.
Diarrhea in dogs of the bacterial type is more difficult to counter. If your dog has several diarrhoea, even small discharges from the anus, this diarrhea in dogs can be considered acute. In the case of bacterial diarrhea, the general condition of your dog will be modified. Your dog will be very dejected, he will have a fever and will no longer eat or eat very little. Your dog's belly will be swollen and he will feel pain.
As with bacterial diarrhea, viral diarrhea will also cause bloating and pain in your dog's stomach, he will also be amorphous and he will have no appetite.
Signs of diarrhea in dogs
A few signs are common. Aside from very loose or watery stools, there are also bowel sounds that are audible even when you are a good distance away from your dog. Your dog will refuse to eat and he will tend to drink more water. Your dog may even be more sleepy, less playful or even amorphous.
Diarrhea in dogs often leads to dehydration
Diarrhea in dogs is responsible for a significant leak of water but also of mineral salts. It is important to monitor your animal closely so that it does not suffer from dehydration. The loss of many mineral salts leads to a hydro-electrolyte imbalance, due to the drop in sodium and potassium. This dehydration is also accompanied by a loss of water-soluble vitamins.
Water-soluble vitamins are water-soluble and are excreted in the urine within hours (if not used before).
Here are some water-soluble vitamins:
- Vitamin B1 or Thiamine
- Vitamin B2 or Riboflavin
- Vitamin B3 or vitamin PP
- Vitamin B5 or Pantothenic Acid
- Vitamin B6 or pyridoxine
- Vitamin B8 or vitamin H or Biotin
- Vitamin B9 or Folic Acid
- Vitamin B12 or cobalamin
- Vitamin C or Ascorbic Acid.
It is therefore best to rest your dog's digestive tract for 24 to 48 hours. You can feed it with small portions of wet food and add to it some probiotics. Thereafter, you can very gradually resume your dog's usual diet by adding probiotics to his diet for another 14 days.
How Food Can Cause Diarrhea in Dogs
- By a sudden change in diet, or even recipe in the same brand of food or during weaning.
- By food overload: too large meals cause gastric indigestion, poor digestion in the small intestine in addition to gastric torsion.
- By an excess of enzyme-resistant and indigestible carbohydrates or proteins.
Diarrhea from abrupt change in diet
Any change in diet should be made gradually to avoid diarrhea in dogs. Here is an effective method over a week to put forward during your food transitions:
Day 1 and Day 2
- 25% new food
- 75% of the food to change
Day 3 and Day 4
- 50% new food
- 50% of the food to change
Day 5 and Day 6
- 75% new food
- 25% of the food to change
Day 7
- 100% new food
- 0% of food to change
Sudden changes are also to be avoided when weaning a puppy. Ideally you should prepare your puppy from the age of 3 weeks, and gradually replace breast milk with wet or semi-moist food over a period of 3 weeks.
Diarrhea due to food overload
If you decide to feed your dog once a day, when he was used to receiving 2 or 3 meals, know that you should also make a slow transition from the quantities given in the morning to those in the evening, for example. Too much food, especially if it is ingested quickly, leads to digestive disorders because the stomach is not able to process so much food at one time.
Gastric overload has three important consequences:
- Dilatation syndrome or gastric torsion (torsion of the stomach)
- Poor kibble predigestion
- Massive emptying in the small intestine of improperly prepared food.
Steps to Take for Diarrhea in Dogs:
- 24 hour fast
- Resume feeding gradually by adding probiotics
- Offer your dog the daily ration of food in several small meals
- Add very cooked rice with its croquettes
- Use rice cooking water or potato peel cooking water as water in your dog's bowl or to hydrate your dog's kibble
