Dogs often experience digestive issues from eating table scraps or garbage, ingesting an object outside (for instance a rock or sock), or getting too excited when giving treats. In minor cases, all they require for recovery is some bland food with plenty of water for several days to feel better.
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1. Food Allergies
Dogs may ingest foods they shouldn’t, leading to diarrhea. The small intestine is responsible for absorption and therefore extremely sensitive. When its function becomes disrupted, a vet may prescribe Metronidazole or Tylosin for treatment, or suggest bland diet options like plain boiled white rice, chicken, cottage cheese without oil added, canned pure pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling), as well as canned whitefish may all provide safe solutions.
Prevention of diarrhea for your pet involves providing them with an appropriate diet free from human treats and leftovers, slowly introducing new food changes into their current diet, as well as keeping up to date on vaccinations and parasite treatments. Diarrhea can also be a telltale sign of infection; keep an eye out for other symptoms like constant licking of paws or tail, runny eyes and sneezing as warnings that something more sinister may be going on.
2. Infections
Dogs are natural scavengers and may consume table scraps, outdoor objects, or foreign objects without realizing it, potentially leading to intestinal irritation, infection and diarrhea in later life.
Your pup may only require a few days of eating bland food and drinking plenty of water to feel better, while in other instances you may need to visit the veterinarian to rule out infection or parasites.
Pink or purple stool could be an indication of Hemorrhagic Gastroenteritis, an infection that requires immediate medical treatment. Your veterinarian may prescribe antibiotics such as metronidazole (Flagyl), to restore balance among bacteria in their digestive system. Altering their diet could also cause diarrhea as it overruns with good and bad bacteria; to minimize this possibility, introduce the new food slowly over a seven day period until its percentage reaches 100% of total diet intake.
3. parasites
Stomach problems such as diarrhea can be terrifyingly alarming. If your pet displays any hunched posture, lethargy, loss of appetite or blood in their stool (including refusal to drink water), or refuses to ingest water it’s time to contact their vet immediately.
Parasites like Coccidia and Giardia can cause diarrhea by releasing eggs (oocysts) in the stool, infecting intestines, causing malnutrition, weight loss and dehydration in dogs infected. Dogs affected may appear frothy or sticky with mucus-like coating and carry an unpleasant odor.
These parasites can be spread through drinking contaminated water, stepping on animal feces and eating infected foods, with the latter two methods leading to infection. Treatment options for such infections may include prescription wormers and anti-protozoal medications – while prevention includes regularly cleaning food and water bowls, using muzzles to avoid scavenging, avoiding bones (bone fragments may irritate bowels) as well as gradual diet transition when switching pet foods.
4. Stress
Stress can disturb a dog’s gut microbiome and result in diarrhea. Stress colitis occurs when stress-inducing conditions (like surgery or intense exercise ) or psychological strain ( such as staying at a boarding facility, moving house, or adding new people or animals into your household ) cause overproduction of mucus which results in diarrheal episodes. Stress colitis may be brought on by both physical and psychological sources ( such as staying at a boarding facility, moving house or welcoming in new family members or pets ).
If your pup’s stomach is sensitive, try feeding them a bland diet for one or two days. This may include serving plain cooked white rice with low-fat chicken breast or turkey and some canned plain pumpkin (not pie filling variety). Natural yogurt, probiotics, peeled and boiled potatoes cottage cheese eggs without oil or specially designed foods may also help. Once their health improves gradually reintroduce their regular food.
