Diarrhea in dogs is unsightly. Can have serious causes. Know the why and what home remedies can help your four-legged friend?
Updated on 15/04/2022
– What are the possible causes of diarrhea in dogs?? – These symptoms show the dog with diarrhea – Diagnosis of diarrhea in dogs – Carefree despite dog diarrhea
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What are possible causes of diarrhea in dogs?
Diarrhea in dogs means that they defecate excessively often, usually it is thinner in consistency and more slimy than usual, sometimes even bloody. Doctors speak of diarrhea. Not in every case it is useful to resort to home remedies. It is therefore particularly important to consider what could have led to your dog's diarrhea. Some causes are harmless, for others you should consult a veterinarian.
Possible reasons for diarrhea in dogs:
– Overeating – Medication (z.B. antibiotic side effects) – gastrointestinal diseases (z.B. viral or bacterial infections, protozoa such as giardia, worms or pancreatitis) – stress or psychological strain – disease of internal organs (z.B. tumors) – feed allergies (z.B. due to preservatives or wheat) – Intolerable food (e.g.B. Avocados, tomatoes and onions) – Spoiled food (z.B. Maggots, contaminated carrion, old fish food) – Ingested foreign objects – Metabolic disorders (e.g.B. kidney weakness or autoimmune diseases) – Poison (z.B. Fertilizer, rinse water, plant or animal poisons, bait) – Change of diet (e.g., food, water, etc.) – Change of diet (e.g., food, etc.).B. to BARF) – Contaminated drinking water
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These are the symptoms of diarrhea in dogs
You know your dog best and will notice quickly if his behavior changes. Diarrhea rarely comes alone, but indicates a larger problem, is associated with pain and often with fever (over 40 ° C). As a rule, a normal course does not last more than three days. The following signs of diarrhea in dogs should alert you:
– Frequent watery or mucousy diarrhea – Restlessness – Fatigue – Refusal to eat or drink – Unaccustomed postures indicative of abdominal pain
If you notice any of the following symptoms, you should see a veterinarian immediately:
– vomiting – bloody diarrhea – trembling – fever over 40 °C
For example, in case of poisoning, your four-legged friend will show the serious symptoms, as well as in case of serious kidney or infectious diseases. These must be treated immediately. Your veterinarian is the best judge of whether home remedies are appropriate for your dog's diarrhea. If you are unsure about the severity of the diarrhea, it is better to be safe than sorry and have your dog examined:
Diagnosis of diarrhea in dogs
If you observe mucous diarrhea in your dog for more than 24 hours, a visit to the vet is highly recommended. If you have a sick or old dog or puppy at home, it is best to take your four-legged friend to the vet the same day. Dangerous are the large loss of fluids as well as the nutrient deficiency, which arise with diarrhea.
The difficulty of diagnosing canine diarrhea lies in its multiple causes. It is advisable to consider beforehand which of them are out of the question. This facilitates the search for the triggers. After talking to you, your veterinarian will systematically rule out all possible causes until it is clear what is wrong with your dog. This is done via urine and blood tests, as well as ultrasound and x-rays of the gastrointestinal area. In addition, a catheter for the supply of liquid may be necessary.
Duration and therapy of dog diarrhea
If your dog does not belong to the risk group and does not show severe symptoms, then you can treat the diarrhea at home. Again: If your dog shows symptoms for more than three days, you must see a vet. In normal cases, however, you can stimulate the dog's self-healing powers with a few tips and treat it without medical help:
For severe diarrhea, Mobile Veterinarian Dr. Joachim Hecking from Oberhausen, to feed the dog rice with curd cheese or cottage cheese. The normal dog food should only be added again after 3 days at the earliest, when a clear improvement has occurred.
Home remedies for diarrhea in dogs
The diagnosis "diarrhea" already stands or your quadruped shows only slight symptoms? This can help your dog with diarrhea:
1. Strict diet
Try not to offer your dog food for 12 – 24 hours at first. The intestines now no longer need to extract water from the body to work. The diarrhea gets the chance to subside.
2. Sufficient liquid
To prevent dehydration, always offer your dog fresh water or chamomile tea and encourage him to drink. This is how you can prevent a circulatory collapse. Make sure that you give water only boiled, so that bacteria and impurities are excluded.
3. Activated charcoal
For humans, charcoal tablets belong in every good vacation first aid kit. They are a good first aid measure against poisoning. If your dog has mucous diarrhea, this home remedy can remove toxins from his intestines and ensure their elimination. Observe your quadruped very closely afterwards and bring him to the vet in case of doubt.
4. Moro's carrot soup
This home remedy is considered by some animal lovers to be a natural antibiotic substitute. It is a soup made of carrots and a pinch of salt that you feed to your dog throughout the day. Special sugar molecules attach themselves to the intestinal wall. Prevent the spread of bacteria. However, the sugar content of the soup can also be problematic in case of diarrhea.
4. Gentle diet
After one day of diet, you can start feeding a special diet. Compatible foods include z.B. Lean curd cheese, rice, cottage cheese, soft boiled chicken, potatoes, grated apple or cooked oatmeal against dog diarrhea. It is important to offer the food in small, easily digestible portions. On the administration of chewing bones. Treats should be completely avoided for the time being. For example, if you have not fed cereals before, the gentle diet with oatmeal for dog diarrhea also has a certain allergy risk, but a low one.
In case of severe diarrhea, the Mobile Veterinarian recommends Dr. Joachim Hecking from Oberhausen, to feed the dog rice with curd cheese or cottage cheese. The normal dog food should only be added after 3 days at the earliest, when a clear improvement has set in. After one week, the dog can be switched back to its normal diet.
5. Food supplements
In order to compensate for the lack of nutrients, you can also give your dog natural preparations with electrolytes and energy-rich substances (e.g., water).B. Oil or sugar compounds) support. Your veterinarian can advise you on this.
6. Dietary fiber
In case of very liquid diarrhea you can temporarily add fiber to the feed. The most suitable for this purpose are swellable plant fibers such as psyllium, as they bind large amounts of water. This gives your dog's intestinal flora a chance to recover from the acute diarrhea.
Prevention of diarrhea in dogs
You can hardly save your quadruped from some causes like poisoning or sudden anti-immune diseases. However, you should always remain attentive to what he eats. The following tips will help prevent diarrhea in dogs due to faulty nutrition:
– No sudden food changes! – Observe expiration dates! – Fat only in well dosed quantities! – No huge portions! – Carbohydrates in small moderation!
Click here if you want to know more about healthy eating for dogs.
Carefree despite dog diarrhea
Diarrhea is unsightly and usually comes unexpectedly to the dog owners*. Then you can talk of luck, if your quadruped survives the disease alone. However, the visit to the vet is often advisable. Should not be avoided for financial reasons. With dog health insurance like Luko, you don't have to worry about who will pay the medical bills. Find out now how your dog and you are covered in case of minor and major medical emergencies.
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