Home Care For Dogs With Diarrhoea
Diarrhoea in dogs is a very common problem, and fortunately, often passes within 1-2 days.
If your dog has diarrhoea but is otherwise happy, well and behaving normally, you could try to settle them at home. Book an appointment with your vet if your dog isnt improving or if youre concerned at any point.
Are Certain Ages Of Dogs Or Breeds Predisposed Towards Diarrhea
Younger dogs may be more predisposed to diarrhea due to the presence of parasites, stress-related changes, or even due to changes in diet during weaning. Older dogs may be more predisposed to cancer in their intestines causing chronic diarrhea.
As for breeds, if you own a Greyhound, youre probably already well aware of their loose stools thats because Greyhounds get diarrhea if you look at them cross-eyed, and are very sensitive to diet change and stress colitis! Labrador Retrievers and Golden Retrievers? Theyre the top dogs I see coming in to the ER vet for dietary indiscretion resulting in some mild stomach upset and diarrhea. That said, they also love to chew and may have a foreign body stuck in their gastrointestinal tract. Young Boxers can develop histiocytic ulcerative colitis which results in severe chronic loose stools. Other breeds are predisposed to medical problems that cause diarrhea. For example, Miniature Schnauzers, Yorkshire Terriers, and Shetland Sheepdogs are more predisposed to pancreatitis. German Shepherds are more likely to develop EPI, while Yorkshire Terriers are more predisposed to PLE.
How To Know If Its Serious
When it comes to dog diarrhea, blood might be a sign that something is wrong. Blood can look like streaks of red or dark and tarry black. Also be on the lookout for a loss of appetite, vomiting, weight loss, fever or fatigue in your pet. Yellow diarrhea might also be an indication that theres something wrong. Never hesitate to call your vet if you seen blood in their stool or the diarrhea doesnt stop after 24 hours. Your vet isnt an attorney. They dont charge for a simple phone call. Plus, the peace of mind is priceless!
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Why Does My Dog Have Diarrhoea
The most likely cause of diarrhoea in dogs is scavenging eating things such as table leftovers or sudden changes in diet. Other chronic causes of dog diarrhoea can include food allergies and intolerances.
Most cases of diarrhoea in dogs are not serious and will resolve themselves. However, its worth bearing in mind that diarrhoea in dogs may be the result of a more serious condition such as an infection, parasites, swallowing a foreign body or a poisonous substance. Infections with common viruses such as parvovirus, and coronavirus may also trigger diarrhoea.
How Often Should I Feed My Labrador Retriever When He Has Diarrhea
You can start feeding him with small amounts of bland diet every four hours. If your Labrador Retriever appears better after bland diet and small amounts of food, you can gradually return to his regular diet.
There are many reasons why an older dog could potentially struggle with senior dog diarrhea. But dont panic if, for example, your 10-year-old dog has diarrhea: Fortunately, there are several ways to address this embarrassing, messy, debilitating and often uncomfortable problem.
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When To Call Your Vet
If your puppy has just had a couple bouts of loose stool and is otherwise happy and doing great, there is no need to panic. It will likely resolve on its own.
Signs to call your veterinarian to schedule an appointment:
- Diarrhea that lasts more than a day
- Bloody or black stool
- Fever
- Painful behaviorhunched posture, tense, or crying out
- Known ingestion of a non-food item or a toxic substance
What Should I Feed My Senior Dog When He Has Diarrhea
You can help your dog by feeding a bland diet, such as cooked white chicken and rice or Under the Weather Rice, Chicken & Pumpkin Flavor Freeze-Dried Dog Food, for a couple of days until the diarrhea resolves. If time and bland food arent curing your senior dogs loose stool blues, it is time to get the vet involved.
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Sudden Change In Diet
If you have switched your dogs diet suddenly, they can have diarrhea. These dogs will usually be very active and still want to eat and drink. Most of the times this type of diarrhea will easily clear up on its own once your dogs stomach adjusts to their new diet.
When switching diets, it is best to do so gradually to avoid your dog from having diarrhea. It is best to make this transition over a few weeks. When you are switching diets slowly increase the new diet and decrease the old diet by 10% every few days.
This slow transition will help prevent your dog from having diarrhea.
What To Give Dogs For Diarrhea
Generally, dogs can eat many things that would make us sick. Their digestive system is much more resilient than ours. However, the balance of the dogs digestive system can occasionally be disrupted, thus resulting in an upset stomach and diarrhea. Many owners wonder what to give dogs for diarrhea in such circumstances. Are there any good home remedies, or should we use medications?
Lets find out below.
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Why Your Golden Retriever Breathes So Fast
Below are common causes of it and what would make them more likely to be the reason why your Golden Retriever does it.
It is active and a big dog
Golden Retrievers are usually big dogs and they can be very active. If your Golden Retriever is big and it tends to be very active it could be that it breathes fast because its body requires more oxygen naturally. This would be more likely if it has always breathed fast and if the vet has never found any issues.
To cool down
Not enough exercise
Golden Retrievers are a breed that is meant to get a lot of exercise on a daily basis. When they do not get enough exercise it can cause them to develop health issues and it might be why yours is breathing fast.
Generally, it is recommended that they get at least an hour of exercise per day when they are healthy adults. If your Golden Retriever is not getting that much and the vet has confirmed that it is not ill or injured then it would help to make sure that it gets frequent exercise.
Illness or injury
It might be the case that an illness, medical condition or injury has been causing it to breathe faster. This would be more likely if it has started doing it suddenly and if it has been showing other signs of being ill or injured such as being fatigued, vomiting or limping. If it does seem like it might be ill or injured it would help to take it to a vet.
It has been active recently
Heatstroke
Its hot
Medication
Allergic reaction
Some Of The Common Causes Of Diarrhea In Dogs:
So, you feed your dog the best dog food available and must be wondering why he got diarrhea.
In this section of the blog post, we will go through a few common reasons.
Lets begin.
Following are some of the most common reasons why dogs get diarrhea:
- Eating garbage, non-food materials or food that is spoiled
- Systemic illness
- Infections: Viral, bacterial, fungal or parasitic
- Rickettsial a bacterial infection which is typically acquired via parasites such as ticks, fleas, etc.
- Ingestion of drugs and toxins
Keep in mind that these are only a few of the top reasons why pet dogs get diarrhea. I would recommend that you contact your vet asap to get to the root of the problem.
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How To Spot It
Start by backtracking what your dog has eaten and then make sure this is not an allergic reaction. Next, youll want to feel around the stomach, check their breathing and see if there are any signs of something they have eaten around your home or backyard.
A majority of the time when you notice your dog going through symptoms such as throwing up and diarrhea. Its usually a sign of gastrointestinal problems. But dont always jump to conclusions and think that this is a huge problem.
Because more times than not it usually isntif that makes any sense haha. There are a few things you should look out for to make a clear assessment of how severe the circumstance may be.
Can Pumpkin Help With Dog Diarrhea
Pumpkin is a fiber-rich food that also contains important vitamins and minerals, such as vitamins A, E, and C, and potassium and iron. Plain, canned pumpkin is available year-round and can be a great addition to your canine first aid kit.
Pumpkin can ease digestion in several ways. The soluble fiber content in pumpkin adds bulk to your dogs stool by absorbing water, and fiber fermentation produces beneficial fatty acids that supply energy to cells, stimulate intestinal sodium and water absorption, and lower the pH level of the large intestines.
Fiber also acts as a prebiotic. Prebiotics are different from probiotics. They stimulate the growth or activity of these beneficial bacteria in the intestines and inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria. Fiber does this by lowering the pH level and providing the necessary nutrients these bacteria need.
These traits can all help with some cases of dog diarrhea. Depending on the cause of your dogs diarrhea, veterinarians might recommend feeding either a highly digestible diet or a diet full of prebiotics . In some cases, they may also recommend adding probiotics, which are supplements that contain live beneficial bacteria. Pumpkin acts as a prebiotic booster for these probiotics.
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Healthy Diet And Nutrition Tips From Dr Sarah Nold
Ensuring your dog has a good wholesome diet not only keeps them healthy, but can also help prevent bouts of diarrhea. Heavily processed foods containing high levels of preservatives and chemicals can play havoc with your dogs digestion, and certain human foods can even be poisonous to your dog.
Trupanion veterinarian, Sarah Nold, DVM, offers her healthy diet and nutrition tips, including common foods to avoid and advice on food allergies.
What Can You Give A Dog To Stop Diarrhea
There a some home remedies and over the counter diarrhea medicine you can use to help your dog with loose stools.
Imodium for dogs is one option. However some breeds cannot take Imodium. For example, Australian Shepherds, Shetland Sheepdogs, and other herding breeds cannot take Imodium. The same can be said of other over the counter medicines like Pepto Bismol, and Kaopectate. So it is best to check with a vet before self administering any treatment.
Another easy home remedy for dog diarrhea is pumpkin. Since pumpkin has a lot of good fiber it is great for regulating stomach issues. Canned, cooked, steamed or raw pumpkin can be used but as with anything too much of a good thing isnt good either.
Pumpkin for dogs can help with diarrhea and constipation but too much can cause the things you are trying to cure such as intestinal gas, abdominal bloating and cramping.
A good rule of thumb is one teaspoon per 10 pounds of body weight once or twice a day until things go back to normal.
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Are Carrots Good For Dog Diarrhea
Cooked carrots are excellent for dogs suffering from diarrhea due to the high fiber content.
To prepare carrots for a dog with diarrhea, you need to:
You can also cut carrots into small pieces and cook with white rice.
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Causes Of Vomiting And Diarrhea In Dogs
Vomiting and diarrhea occur when the stomach and/or intestines become irritated or inflamed.
There are many causes, including:
- Certain viruses, such as parvovirus in puppies
- Dietary indiscretion
- Swallowing an object that causes stomach or intestinal obstruction
- Chronic disease, such as inflammatory bowel disease
- Stress due to boarding or other change in environment or routine
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When To Call A Vet Asap
If any of the following circumstances apply, contact your vet immediately:
- Episodes of diarrhea are frequently repeated over several hours.
- Your dog shows extreme lethargy or lack of responsiveness.
- You suspect your dog has ingested a toxin.
- You see excessive amounts of blood in the stool .
- Stool is black and/or has a tarry appearance.
- Your dog is on medication that may cause diarrhea .
- You suspect your dog ingested a foreign body, such as a toy or clothing.
- Your dog’s gums are pale, white, bluish, or gray in color.
- Your dog’s abdomen seems painful and/or distended.
- You see worms in the stool .
- Diarrhea occurs for more than 24 hours.
- If you’re in doubt, just call the vet.
If your dog has diarrhea one time and otherwise acts completely normal, you can probably continue with its normal routine and feeding. Just keep watching for diarrhea, vomiting, loss of appetite, and signs of illness. Note that dogs with diarrhea may strain to defecate with little or no stool production. This is not necessarily a cause for concern unless it continues for more than a day.
Viral & Bacterial Infections
Parvovirus, often referred to as simply parvo, is a diagnosis that strikes fear in any puppy owners heart. This virus is highly contagious and wreaks havoc on your puppys immune system and body, causing severe diarrhea, vomiting, weight loss, anorexia, fever, and lethargy. Treatment consists of supportive care to help your puppy fight the disease and target symptoms. A puppy with parvo will likely be admitted to the hospital for intravenous fluids , medications, and round-the-clock supervision from her veterinary team. Parvo is often fatal, especially if treatment is started too late.
Thankfully, there is an effective vaccination for parvo, and it is included in the routine puppy series. Your puppy will receive several rounds of the vaccine depending on her age. Its essential to get your puppy to her booster appointments on time even one missed vaccination can leave her unprotected. Once she has finished her puppy series, the following year she can either get a one-year or three-year vaccine.
Avoid places with other dogs, such as dog parks, boarding kennels, and popular dog-walking spots until she is fully vaccinated. Only allow her to interact with dogs that you know are vaccinated. If your puppy does get parvo, she will need to be kept away from unvaccinated dogs and puppies to prevent spreading it to them.
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These Times Are An Emergency And You Simply Must Call The Vet Immediately
Certain injuries, illnesses or symptoms are very easy to spot and are so obviously severe they are potentially life-threatening.
Some others still are life-threatening but you may not be aware of their severity.
The following is a list of injuries and symptoms that if you spot them, you simply MUST call the emergency vet right away, with no delay.
In these situations, every minute that passes without your Golden receiving medical care could potentially lead to fatality.
So read, remember and learn to recognize and act upon the following symptoms and warning signs:
- Falling unconscious or collapsing.
- Eye problems, squinting for more than just a few minutes.
- Cuts, bites and wounding.
- Hit by a motor vehicle or any other serious blows or falls.
In any situation where your Golden Retriever is showing any of the above symptoms or you fear an event such as those listed above has occurred, call the emergency vet right away. Its better to be safe than it is to be sorry.
Your vet will not be annoyed if you call and it turns out to be a false alarm, but if its a real emergency and you dont call, the result could be catastrophic.
In an emergency its also strongly advised that you do call the emergency vet and follow their advice. DO NOT take your dog and drive to the nearest vet because in some cases the vet you drive to may not be able to take you in.
Do Golden Retrievers Have Black Bellies
Yes, sometimes they do, especially if they are puppies but it will be more purple than black. You probably know it as blueberry bellies which indicate that they have good pigment, they usually have dark noses and eye pigment and dark pads on their hands and legs.
The normal color of your golden retrievers skin should be light-colored in general, and you will notice it changes from white to kind of pink-ish. Dark-colored skin is often not normal and may be the sign of a health issue as discussed.
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How To Care For A Dog With Diarrhoea
If the diarrhoea is accompanied by other signs such as severe vomiting, loss of appetite or lethargy please consult your vet or, out of hours, your nearest Vets Now pet emergency service.
If your dog has diarrhoea but is not vomiting:
- Dont withhold food
- Make sure your dog has plenty of water to drink, to avoid dehydration.
- Offer easily digestible, low-fat, high-fibre food. Commercial diets are available but a bland diet of chicken or white fish with brown rice, wholemeal pasta or potatoes is suitable. You can also give porridge oats , tapioca or polenta. Avoid rich foods, dairy and fats. Split the daily requirements into 4-6 small meals.
- Once the stools start to harden, gradually reintroduce your dogs normal diet over 2-3 days mixing with the bland diet, increasing the proportion of normal food with each successive meal.