Dog diarrhea

Dog diarrhea can be very upsetting to pet owners. It is a common question I am asked about on this website. You should know that diarrhea is usually not a primary disease, but usually a symptom of other diseases. Most cases of diarrhea clear up on their own in 2 to 4 days. Other cases can be much more severe, and require an extensive workup.

What causes dog diarrhea?

• Ingestion of toxins or chemicals around the house

• Foreign body ingestion

• Infectious causes: Parvovirus and intestinal parasites

• Systemic causes: Liver or kidney diseases, pancreatic disease, or cancer

• Food allergy or Inflammatory bowel disease(IBD)

Take your dog to the Vet if you notice these signs with the diarrhea.

• Vomiting or dehydration

• Abdominal pain or bloating

• High fever or lethargy

• Bloody or watery diarrhea

What should I do?

If the diarrhea is mild you can try the following in with consultation from your Veterinairan.

• Withhold food, especially table scraps

• Give him a sports drink in their water dish to guard against nutrient loss

• Kaopectate(for dogs) give 0.5-1.0ml per pound every 2 to 6 hours. Talk to your Vet first before administering.

If you bring your dog to the Veterinarian be sure to bring a sample of it if possible. Also know how long your dog has had diarrhea, the color and consistency of it. Is there any blood present? Have you changed your pets diet recently? Are any of your other pets sick?

How can I prevent diarrhea in the future?

• Do not feed people food to pets.

• Change you pets diet slowly by mixing the old diet with the new diet over the course of a week.

• Keep your puppies and kittens fully vaccinated.

• Keep household chemicals out of reach of pets.

• Have annual check ups for your pet