How to handle dog diarrhea when there are no changes in diet? Why does a dog have loose stools? Dogs, being somewhat mischievous, may rummage through trash cans or eat roadside weeds, leading to gastrointestinal issues. More alarming than simple food poisoning could be parasites or gastroenteritis within the stomach, making it crucial to understand the common causes of dog diarrhea and how to identify them.
Extended reading: Common parasites in dogs and cats, which can also infect mammals, including humans, require special attention! In addition to knowing the common causes of dog diarrhea, it’s also important to know how to care for a dog with diarrhea and when to take them to the vet. More recommended veterinary hospital list across Taiwan. This article will inform dog parents about the knowledge points related to dog diarrhea: common causes of diarrhea, symptoms, how to care for a dog with diarrhea, when to see a doctor, and how to maintain gut health to prevent diarrhea. Sometimes dogs may ingest foreign objects leading to diarrhea, so dog parents should be especially vigilant about what their dogs consume.
Common Causes of Dog Diarrhea:
1. Sudden change in pet food
2. Food/medication poisoning
3. Ingestion of foreign objects
4. Change in feeding time or eating too fast leading to indigestion
5. Psychological stress and anxiety
6. Weather or seasonal changes
7. Gastrointestinal inflammation
8. Gastrointestinal infection with parasites
How to determine the health status from a dog’s stool shape?
1. Yellow liquid
2. Green liquid
3. Blue liquid
4. Dark black or coffee-colored liquid
5. Gray liquid with floating grease
6. Bloody stools
7. Mostly normal but with mucus secretion
How to differentiate between dog diarrhea and gastroenteritis? If diarrhea is accompanied by the following symptoms, it could be gastroenteritis in dogs.
How to care for a dog with diarrhea or gastroenteritis?
When should you take a dog with diarrhea to the vet?
What to prepare when taking a dog with diarrhea to the vet?
What should a dog with diarrhea eat, and how to care for them daily?
Is it important to supplement with good pet probiotics for daily health?
Diarrhea in dogs is a symptom, not a disease. Dogs do not diarrhea without reason; it’s usually due to external factors causing rapid gut movement, with water not being absorbed by the large intestine in time, leading to loose or soft stools.
Here are the common causes of dog diarrhea:
1. Sudden change in pet food: Although it’s dog food, the formulation varies, and the nutritional components are usually different. Not only changing food but also suddenly switching from kibble to fresh food can cause the dog’s gut to not adapt to the difference in food, leading to diarrhea.
2. Food/medication poisoning: If dogs accidentally consume human food or medication, they may exhibit signs of poisoning or allergies, leading to diarrhea. Human food, besides being too salty, can burden a dog’s kidneys and large intestine and may even cause poisoning and death, which requires special attention.
Dogs should not eat certain foods, such as chocolate.
3. Ingestion of foreign objects: If dogs ingest garbage, bones, small toys, or small items, it may block the digestive tract, leading to indigestion and causing diarrhea or constipation. Severely, it can cause vomiting, stomach pain, megacolon, and even death, so it’s crucial to pay special attention to what dogs eat.
4. Change in feeding time or eating too fast: If the food hasn’t changed and the dog hasn’t swallowed foreign objects, it could be a change in eating habits causing diarrhea. Changing feeding times may cause the dog to delay eating, making the food less fresh and causing diarrhea. Or, the dog may not secrete enough stomach acid to digest food properly, leading to gastrointestinal discomfort. Eating too fast or too much food can also lead to indigestion and diarrhea, and in severe cases, it may even trigger gastroenteritis. Gastroenteritis is a serious issue that can lead to death and should not be ignored.
5. Psychological stress and anxiety: Various reasons can cause dogs to feel tense and uncomfortable, even anxious, leading to diarrhea. This is because when dogs are mentally tense and anxious, the sympathetic nervous system concentrates blood supply in the heart, lungs, brain, and muscles, leading to reduced blood flow in the gastrointestinal tract. Reduced blood flow in the gastrointestinal tract slows down digestive motility, preventing the absorption of nutrients and water, leading to diarrhea.
6. Weather or seasonal changes: Seasonal transitions, such as spring to summer or autumn to winter, can cause stomach cooling and diarrhea, or make fresh food or pet food not fresh, causing gastrointestinal dysfunction and diarrhea due to the inability to absorb nutrients properly.
7. Gastrointestinal inflammation: Diarrhea is a primary symptom of canine gastroenteritis. If a dog has diarrhea for several days and is accompanied by other symptoms like fever, significant abdominal pain, loss of appetite, and lethargy, it requires special attention. Dog health requires constant vigilance from dog parents to prevent diarrhea symptoms and to seek medical attention promptly for any abnormalities that could indicate gastroenteritis.
8. Gastrointestinal infection with parasites: If dogs frequently go outside and are not regularly dewormed, they may contract parasites outside or ingest fresh food not processed carefully, leading to parasites in the gastrointestinal tract. Many parasites reside in a dog’s gastrointestinal tract, absorbing nutrients and causing diarrhea or constipation. If there is a loss of appetite, vomiting, blood in the stool, or worms in the feces, it’s crucial to take the dog to the vet to avoid delaying treatment and worsening the condition.
Dogs’ gastrointestinal health must be maintained! How to deal with dog constipation? 6 common causes and solutions.
How to determine the health status from a dog’s stool shape? The severity of dog diarrhea can be observed from the stool’s form. Healthy dog feces are usually brown and long and cylindrical. Any other state indicates an unhealthy gastrointestinal condition.
1. Yellow liquid: May indicate liver, pancreas, or gallbladder issues, such as insufficient bile secretion or liver function impairment. Another possibility is an infection with Giardia.
2. Green liquid: If a dog’s stool appears slightly green, it could be due to rapid gastrointestinal function or bile secretion issues (appearing yellow-green). Another possibility is consuming too many vegetables or eating roadside weeds when outside. However, it may be necessary to take the dog to the vet, as dogs often eat grass to alleviate stomach discomfort. If a dog’s stomach is uncomfortable, it may choose to eat grass for relief, so it’s advised that dog parents take the dog to the vet to confirm the condition.
3. Blue liquid: Blue feces are not normal and may be due to consumption of rat poison, cleaning agents, toys… and other substances containing blue pigments, which could lead to acute poisoning and potential kidney failure and death. Dog parents are advised to collect the feces and urgently take the dog to the animal hospital.
4. Dark black or coffee-colored liquid: Healthy dog feces are usually light coffee-colored. If a dog’s feces are very dark black or coffee-colored, it usually indicates the presence of blood, generally signifying upper gastrointestinal (stomach) bleeding. Conditions like kidney disease, pancreatitis, gastritis, and parasites (in the upper gastrointestinal tract) could cause dark black or dark coffee-colored feces in dogs.
5. Gray liquid with floating grease: If a dog has diarrhea that appears gray and has grease floating, it may indicate pancreatic or gallbladder secretion issues, preventing the secretion of bile to absorb grease from food. Another possibility is parasites. Any abnormality in a dog’s stool usually indicates a health issue, so dog parents need to carefully observe the stool’s form.
6. Bloody stools: Diarrhea with visible bright red blood may indicate bacterial infection, viral infection, hemorrhagic gastroenteritis, or colitis. It is recommended to take the dog to the vet for a check-up, regardless of whether the dog appears lethargic or not.
Mucus in a dog’s stool is generally normal, as it helps with the passage of digested food through the intestines. Mucus secretion is a part of the body’s natural mechanism to facilitate intestinal motility. If a dog shows no other signs of illness, the presence of some mucus is not a cause for concern.
Distinguishing between Diarrhea and Gastroenteritis: Diarrhea in dogs is a symptom that may indicate bacterial or viral invasion, with the immune system preventing the absorption of harmful substances, leading to diarrhea. Gastroenteritis, on the other hand, is a severe condition that not only causes diarrhea but also fever, vomiting, and lethargy, indicating a pathological inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. To differentiate between the two, look for accompanying symptoms such as prayer posture due to abdominal pain, foul-smelling and watery stools, vomiting with white foam, bile, and undigested food, and signs of fever and dehydration.
Caring for Dogs with Diarrhea or Gastroenteritis: When a dog has diarrhea without severe infection symptoms, temporary fasting for 12-24 hours, providing easily digestible food, replenishing fluids, and feeding low-fat, low-protein, high-fiber foods are recommended. Regular deworming and probiotic supplementation are also crucial for maintaining gut health. In case of any symptom changes like sudden fever or abdominal pain, a visit to the vet is necessary. For dogs with gastroenteritis, following the same care methods as for diarrhea is important, but with the addition of seeking medical attention and following prescribed medication treatments.
When to Seek Medical Attention for Diarrhea: While a dog’s immune system can handle occasional diarrhea, if the dog has chronic illnesses, shows blood in the stool, exhibits gastrointestinal inflammation symptoms, or has ingested foreign objects, immediate veterinary care is advised.
Preparing for a Vet Visit: Before taking a dog to the vet, it’s essential to collect fecal samples or clear photos, note the duration of diarrhea, report dietary habits, observe the dog’s behavior, and be aware of any complications or pre-existing health conditions.
Dietary Care for Diarrhea: Avoiding overly seasoned foods and opting for professional, high-quality raw or fresh food sources are recommended for maintaining a dog’s gastrointestinal health. During diarrhea, follow the advice from previous sections and the vet’s instructions. After recovery, foods like rice water, pumpkin puree, special formula feed, yogurt (sugar-free and without fruit flavors), and proteins like chicken can help adjust the dog’s stomach.
Importance of Probiotics: Supplementing with high-quality pet gut probiotics is essential for daily health maintenance, especially for puppies and senior dogs, to promote gut flora balance and prevent chronic diseases or bacterial infections.
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