If you're a pet owner, you are probably curious about diarrhea in dogs. You either have experienced how it's like to take care of a dog that has diarrhea, or you are concerned about how to avoid your dog from experiencing this. This article will help you understand how diarrhea can affect your lovely furry pets.
Causes
A dog can get loose stools in a lot of ways. The most common reason is dietary indiscretion, which means your dog has eaten something that he shouldn't have.
As dogs are curious by nature, they can easily eat something that they desire and are more likely to do it when there are holiday parties and events when you can hardly notice them. During holidays, when you usually cook a lot of different foods, your dog might sneak in and eat some leftovers. Chances are, these foods are all new to them and may upset their stomach.
Dogs also like to spend some time sniffing around the house. Often times, they would chew even the tiniest tidbits of leftovers that they will find.
Another cause of doggy diarrhea is a change in their regular food. A poor quality of dog food can also result in an upset stomach. It may also trigger some food allergies which can also result in diarrhea.
A parasite called giardia can cause intermittent diarrhea. This parasite causes a type of diarrhea that pops out of the blue. Just when you're about to call your vet, the stools firm up. You might think that he is already well, but in a few days, his loose stools will come back.
Viral and bacterial infections in the GI tract can also cause diarrhea. So can certain medications like heartworm preventives.
Even stress can play a vital role for your little puppies to have diarrhea. A slight change in their routine can cause this. You might notice a watery poop that pops out of nowhere.
Symptoms
A very obvious symptom of dog diarrhea is when your dog often passes, loose watery stool. You might notice him anxiously waiting at the door and the need to get out quickly. Once he's out, he urgently finds a spot to release his stool.
Another symptom that is rather confusing is when your dog strains to go. It looks more like a case of constipation rather than diarrhea.
Other symptoms that can go along with diarrhea include:
- Fever
- Malaise
- Loss of appetite
- Lethargy
- Dehydration
Generally, healthy dogs have their own episode of diarrhea that would usually resolve on its own. However, there are also cases that immediate treatment should be done.
Although all types of dogs can get extremely ill because of diarrhea, puppies, small dogs, and senior dogs are the most prone to develop dehydration from diarrhea.
It is important to make sure that your dog has an access to clean and fresh water always. Train your dog or encourage him to drink water as many as he can.
When to seek a professional help
If your dog who has or has gone through diarrhea is acting normal, meaning he's active and has energy, then it fine to just keep an eye on him.
However, if you notice that your dog has become sluggish, running a fever, or has changes in behavior, then it is best to contact your vet.
If you see blood in your dog's stool, then you should definitely book an appointment with your vet. Same thing if his diarrhea is always reoccurring.
Bring a sample of his stool when you go to your vet. Put it in a plastic bag even if it's watery. This will help your vet in identifying any underlying cause of your dog's diarrhea.
Home Remedies for Healthy Dogs
If you dog is rather healthy and behaving normally except for the diarrhea, then it is recommended to uphold food, but not WATER, for 12 hours.
After the 12 hours mark, offer a bland, fat-free diet. A recommend food is cooked ground turkey with 100% natural pumpkin. Make sure you discard the fat when cooking the turkey.
Feed your dog a 50-50 mixture of the cooked turkey and pumpkin or sweet potatoes 2 to 3 times a day. His stools should be back to normal in a matter of 72 hours,
You could also add a good probiotic once his stools are firm again.
If after 3 days the diarrhea hasn't cleared yet, then it's time to call your vet.